Recently, a friend wrote me a note that included, among other wonderful treasures, the word “proprioception.” It’s five syllables AND I had to look it up. I admit, I was dazzled. I sent a suitably swoony reply.
It made me think about my emotional, sometimes visceral reactions to words, and how those reactions aren’t always connected to the word’s actual meaning. Which led me to wonder about you…
- What word do you just plain love?
I love shenanigans, badassery, wiggle, flagrant, pluck, synchronicity and mosey, to name a few. - What word do you hate?
I hate the word vomit. Throw up, puke, hurl, heave, regurgitate, upchuck and blow chunks… all okay, but not vomit. - What word do you consistently misspell?
Exhilarate, colonel, hierarchy, daiquiri and apropos. (I guessed all but one of those wrong the first time I typed them into this post.) - What word’s meaning do you keep having to look up?
Allusion. (I’ve just stopped using it.) - What word do you think is completely overused?
Organic and tribe are overused… but I still like them. - What word do you think is underused?
Doff. We should definitely doff more. And donn, for that matter.
Your turn!