2004 Top Ten Favorite Words

2004 Top Ten Favorite Words


defenestration

serendipity

onomatopoeia

discombobulate

plethora

callipygian

juxtapose

persnickety

kerfuffle

flibbertigibbet
 
deãfenãesãtraãtion Pronunciation: (")dE-"fe-n&-''strA-sh&nFunction: nounEtymology: de- + Latin fenestra window: a throwing of a person or thing out of a window- deãfenãesãtrate /(")dE-''fe-n&-"strAt/ transitive verb
serãenãdipãiãty Pronunciation: -''di-p&-tEFunction: nounEtymology: from its possession by the heroes of the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip: the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for
onãoãmatoãpoeãia Pronunciation: "Ô-n&-"mÔ-t&-''pE-&, -"ma-Function: nounEtymology: Late Latin, from Greek onomatopoiia, from onomat-, onoma name + poiein to make -- more at POET1 : the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (as buzz, hiss)2 : the use of words whose sound suggests the sense- onãoãmatoãpoeãic /-''pE-ik/ or onãoãmatoãpoãetãic /-pO-''e-tik/ adjective- onãoãmatoãpoeãiãcalãly /-''pE-&-k(&amplE/ or onãoãmatoãpoãetãiãcalãly /-pO-''e-ti-k(&amplE/ adverb
disãcomãbobãuãlate Pronunciation: "dis-k&m-''bÔ-b(y)&-"lAtFunction: transitive verbInflected Form(s): -latãed; -latãingEtymology: probably alteration of discompose: UPSET, CONFUSE <the offensive had discombobulated all the German defensive arrangements -- A. J. Liebling>- disãcomãbobãuãlaãtion /-"bÔ-b(y)&-''lA-sh&n/ noun
plethãoãra Pronunciation: ''ple-th&-r&Function: nounEtymology: Medieval Latin, from Greek plEthOra, literally, fullness, from plEthein to be full -- more at FULL1 : a bodily con***ion characterized by an excess of blood and marked by turgescence and a florid complexion2 : EXCESS, SUPERFLUITY; also : PROFUSION, ABUNDANCE- pleãthoãric /pl&-''thor-ik, ple-, -''thÔr-; ''ple-th&-rik/ adjective
calãliãpygãian Pronunciation: "ka-l&-''pi-j(E-)&nVariant(s): or calãliãpyãgous /-''pI-g&s/Function: adjectiveEtymology: Greek kallipygos, from kalli- + pygE buttocks: having shapely buttocks
juxãtaãpose Pronunciation: ''j&k-st&-"pOzFunction: transitive verbInflected Form(s): -posed; -posãingEtymology: probably back-formation from juxtaposition: to place side by side <juxtapose unexpected combinations of colors, shapes and ideas -- J. F. T. Bugental>
perãsnickãeãty Pronunciation: p&r-''sni-k&-tEFunction: adjectiveEtymology: alteration of pernickety1 a : fussy about small details : FASTIDIOUS <a persnickety teacher> b : having the characteristics of a snob2 : requiring great precision <a persnickety job>- perãsnickãeãtiãness /-n&s/ noun
kerãfufãfle Pronunciation: k&r-''f&-f&lFunction: nounEtymology: alteration of carfuffle, from Scots car- (probably from Scottish Gaelic cearr wrong, awkward) + fuffle to become disheveledchiefly British : DISTURBANCE, FUSS
flibãberãtiãgibãbet Pronunciation: "fli-b&r-tE-''ji-b&tFunction: nounEtymology: Middle English flepergebet: a silly flighty person- flibãberãtiãgibãbety /-b&-tE/ adjective