15 obscure words to delight linguists

Flex your verbal muscles with these lesser-known terms.

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Favorite articles I’ve written include words that describe words, confusing word pairs and words that make writers swoon.

Let’s continue our exploration of that linguistic trove and look at terms that make us say, “There’s a word for that?” (Definitions below are from Oxford Dictionaries Online, World Wide Words, Dictionary.com and Merriam-Webster.)

Abibilophobia: The fear of having nothing to read.

If I can’t get to the library before a long flight, I suffer from abibiliophobia.

Absquatulate : To leave abruptly.

I might need to absquatulate from the party if Jack and Ginny start talking about politics.

Acersecomic: A person whose hair has never been cut.

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