Obscure Words with Their Meanings and Example Sentences

Obscure Words

The English language is a vast treasure trove filled with not just common words but also rare and obscure gems that often go unnoticed. These words might be outdated, niche, or simply unusual but they possess the power to enrich your expression, fascinate your audience, and sharpen your understanding of language.

Whether you’re a writer, student, linguist, or word lover, exploring obscure words can be an exciting journey. Let’s dive into the world of lesser-known English vocabulary and uncover their meanings and usage through real examples.

What Are Obscure Words?

Obscure words are rarely used terms that may not be familiar to the general public.

• Ancient or historical usage
• Specific professions or academic fields
• Foreign borrowings
• Out-of-fashion trends

Examples of Obscure Words with Meanings and Example Sentences

Here are some fascinating examples to add to your vocabulary:

Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
Abibliophobia	Fear of running out of reading material	His abibliophobia made him hoard books obsessively.
Adynamia	Lack of strength or vigor	After the illness, she suffered from adynamia and could barely walk.
Agelast	A person who never laughs	The stern professor was a true agelast, even at the funniest jokes.
Anomie	Social instability due to lack of norms	The rapid societal changes led to widespread anomie.
Anopisthograph	A document written on one side only	Ancient scrolls were often anopisthographs.
Aphrodisiac	Substance that increases sexual desire	Oysters are famously considered an aphrodisiac.
Apparatchik	A blindly loyal bureaucrat	The party apparatchik followed orders without question.
Auspex	An ancient Roman prophet or soothsayer	The auspex predicted victory before the battle.
Autotomy	Self-amputation, as in lizards shedding tails	The lizard escaped by autotomy, leaving its tail behind.
Baedeker	A travel guidebook	She packed her Baedeker before the European tour.
Banzai	A Japanese battle cry or cheer	The soldiers shouted “Banzai!” as they charged.
Barbu	A bearded man or a type of fish	The old barbu sat quietly in the café.
Bhakti	Devotional worship in Hinduism	She practiced bhakti yoga with deep reverence.
Bibliopole	A dealer in rare books	The bibliopole showed me a first edition of Moby-Dick.
Borzoi	A Russian wolfhound	The elegant borzoi trotted gracefully beside its owner.
Boulevardier	A man who frequents fashionable society	The boulevardier was always seen at Parisian cafés.
Byrnie	A medieval mail shirt	The knight’s byrnie clinked as he moved.
Calaba	A tropical tree with medicinal bark	The healer used calaba bark in her remedy.
Callipygian	Having well-shaped buttocks	The statue was admired for its callipygian form.
Carioca	A native of Rio de Janeiro	The carioca danced samba with effortless grace.
Chaddar	A large shawl or cloak	She wrapped herself in a warm chaddar against the cold.
Chaulmugra	An Asian tree with medicinal oil	Chaulmugra oil was once used to treat leprosy.
Chawbacon	A rustic or unsophisticated person	The city folks mocked him as a chawbacon.
Chirk	To cheer up or make lively	Her joke managed to chirk up the gloomy room.
Commissar	A political officer in Communist regimes	The commissar enforced party loyalty among the troops.
Contretemps	An awkward or embarrassing incident	The spilled wine was an unfortunate contretemps.
Coterie	An exclusive group of friends	The literary coterie met weekly to discuss poetry.
Crapulence	Sickness from excessive eating/drinking	After the feast, he suffered from crapulence.
Cuirassier	A cavalry soldier in armor	The cuirassier charged with his sword drawn.
Cymose	A flower cluster blooming from top down	The cymose inflorescence gave the plant a unique look.
Cynodont	An early mammal-like reptile	Fossils show cynodonts had both reptilian and mammalian traits.
Dactylomegaly	Abnormally large fingers or toes	The rare condition dactylomegaly made his hands unusually large.
Dagga	South African term for cannabis	In some cultures, dagga is used in traditional rituals.
Deliquesce	To dissolve in moisture	The salt crystals began to deliquesce in the humid air.
Dysania	Difficulty waking up in the morning	His chronic dysania made him late for work daily.
Ectopia	Displacement of an organ or body part	The doctor diagnosed ectopia of the kidney.
Eelblenny	A type of small eel-like fish	The eelblenny darted between the coral reefs.
Eleemosynary	Relating to charity	The foundation was an eleemosynary organization.
Eocene	A geological epoch	Fossils from the Eocene show early mammals.
Erinaceous	Resembling a hedgehog	The spiky plant had an erinaceous appearance.
Finnic	Relating to Finnic languages	Estonian is a Finnic language.
Flaccid	Lacking firmness	The balloon became flaccid after days without helium.
Fovea	A small depression in the retina	The fovea is crucial for sharp central vision.
Freyr	Norse god of fertility	Freyr was worshipped for bountiful harvests.
Fudgel	Pretending to work without doing anything	He spent the afternoon fudgeling at his desk.
Fugacious	Fleeting or short-lived	The fugacious beauty of cherry blossoms is celebrated.
Fuzee	A type of match or flare	The hiker carried a fuzee for emergencies.
Galbulus	A type of cone in certain evergreens	The galbulus of the juniper was small and berry-like.
Galere	A group of undesirable people	He found himself stuck with a galere of swindlers.
Gharry	A horse-drawn carriage in India	They took a gharry through the bustling streets.
Ghrelin	A hunger-stimulating hormone	Ghrelin levels rise when the stomach is empty.
Gitano	A Spanish Romani person	The gitano played flamenco guitar passionately.
Gobbledygook	Nonsensical or overly complex language	The contract was full of legal gobbledygook.
Gouache	A type of opaque watercolor paint	She preferred gouache for its vibrant colors.
Grevillea	A type of flowering plant	The grevillea attracted hummingbirds to the garden.
Griot	A West African storyteller	The griot preserved history through oral tradition.
Guanabenz	A medication for hypertension	The doctor prescribed guanabenz for her high blood pressure.
Gustatory	Relating to taste	The gustatory delights of the meal were unforgettable.
Guyot	A flat-topped underwater mountain	Marine life thrived around the guyot.
Gybe	To shift a sail suddenly	The sudden wind caused the sailboat to gybe dangerously.
Gynarchy	Government by women	The ancient myth spoke of an Amazon gynarchy.
Hoopoe	A colorful crested bird	The hoopoe’s distinctive call echoed in the forest.
Hryvnia	Ukrainian currency	The exchange rate for the hryvnia fluctuated.
Huisache	A thorny tropical tree	The huisache’s yellow flowers brightened the desert.
Hyaluronidase	An enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid	Hyaluronidase is used in some medical treatments.
Hygrodeik	A device for measuring humidity	The old hygrodeik needed calibration.
Hypnagogic	Relating to the drowsy state before sleep	He experienced hypnagogic hallucinations as he dozed off.
Ijtihad	Independent reasoning in Islamic law	The scholar practiced ijtihad to interpret scripture.
Illecebrous	Attractive or alluring	The illecebrous aroma drew people into the bakery.
Indite	To compose or write	The poet would indite verses by candlelight.
Involucre	A whorl of bracts around a flower	The involucre protected the delicate florets.
Ipecac	A medicinal plant inducing vomiting	Syrup of ipecac was once used for poisoning cases.
Jai alai	A fast-paced Basque ball game	The jai alai match was thrilling to watch.
Jentacular	Relating to breakfast	His jentacular routine included coffee and toast.
Jiqui	A type of Cuban palm tree	The jiqui’s leaves rustled in the breeze.
Joule	A unit of energy	The physics problem required calculating joules.
Jugale	Relating to the cheekbone	The jugale bone was fractured in the accident.
Kanaf	A type of fiber plant	Kanaf was used for making ropes and textiles.
Kanamycin	An antibiotic	The doctor prescribed kanamycin for the infection.
Karyokinesis	Division of a cell nucleus	Karyokinesis is a key part of mitosis.
Kedgeree	A spiced rice and fish dish	They enjoyed kedgeree for brunch.
Keloid	An overgrown scar	The surgery left a raised keloid on his skin.
Kenopsia	The eerie atmosphere of a usually busy, now empty place	The abandoned mall had a haunting kenopsia.
Khamsin	A hot, dry wind in Egypt	The khamsin made the desert unbearable.
Khat	A stimulant plant chewed in East Africa	Khat is a controversial substance in some countries.
Klebsiella	A type of bacteria	Klebsiella infections can be resistant to antibiotics.
Klystron	A vacuum tube for amplifying microwaves	The radar system relied on a klystron.
Knawel	A small, wiry plant	The knawel thrived in poor soil.
Kohlrabi	A type of cabbage	She roasted kohlrabi with olive oil and herbs.
Kuvasz	A Hungarian livestock dog	The kuvasz guarded the sheep fiercely.
Kyphosis	Excessive curvature of the spine	His kyphosis caused chronic back pain.
Lebensraum	Territory believed necessary for a nation’s growth	Nazi expansion was justified under lebensraum ideology.
Legerdemain	Sleight of hand or trickery	The magician’s legerdemain fooled the audience.
Lempira	Honduran currency	The exchange rate for lempira was favorable.
Lethologica	Inability to recall a word	His lethologica left him struggling for the right term.
Llano	A treeless grassy plain	The cattle roamed the vast llano.
Lygaeid	A type of seed bug	The lygaeid infested the grain storage.
Lyssavirus	A genus of viruses including rabies	The bat carried a dangerous lyssavirus.
Maraschino	A cherry liqueur	The cocktail was garnished with a maraschino cherry.
Microgliacyte	A type of brain cell	Microgliacytes play a role in neural repair.
Misodoctakleidist	Someone who hates practicing the piano	The reluctant student was a true misodoctakleidist.
Motile	Capable of movement	Sperm cells are highly motile.
Moussaka	A layered eggplant dish	The Greek restaurant served delicious moussaka.
Muishond	A South African weasel-like animal	The muishond darted into the underbrush.
Munj	A type of tough grass	Munj was used for making ropes in ancient times.
Myrmecophagous	Feeding on ants or termites	The anteater is a myrmecophagous mammal.
Myrmidon	A loyal follower, often unscrupulous	The tyrant’s myrmidons enforced his will brutally.
Nahuatl	Language of the Aztecs	Nahuatl is still spoken in parts of Mexico.
Naiad	A water nymph in mythology	The naiad emerged from the shimmering pond.
Noegenesis	The production of new knowledge	Philosophy often involves noegenesis.
Obloquy	Strong public criticism	The scandal brought obloquy upon the politician.
Oca	A South American tuber	Oca is a traditional Andean crop.
Ogee	A double-curved architectural shape	The ogee arch was common in Gothic design.
Opsimath	A person who learns late in life	She proved to be a brilliant opsimath.
Parapraxis	A Freudian slip	His accidental parapraxis revealed his true feelings.
Parliamentarian	An expert in parliamentary procedure	The parliamentarian ensured the debate followed rules.
Pelecypod	A bivalve mollusk	The beach was littered with pelecypod shells.
Phacelia	A type of flowering plant	Bees love the purple phacelia blooms.
Phiz	Face or expression (slang)	His phiz showed pure delight.
Pibroch	A type of Scottish bagpipe music	The mournful pibroch echoed across the glen.
Pickelhaube	A spiked German military helmet	The museum displayed a Prussian pickelhaube.
Pogonotrophy	The cultivation of a beard	His pogonotrophy resulted in an impressive mane.
Prazosin	A medication for hypertension	Prazosin helped control his blood pressure.
Primaquine	An antimalarial drug	The traveler took primaquine as a precaution.
Pteridosperm	An extinct seed fern	Fossilized pteridosperms date back millions of years.
Puerile	Childishly silly	His puerile jokes annoyed the adults.
Puerperium	The period after childbirth	She rested during the puerperium.
Puissant	Powerful or mighty	The puissant king ruled for decades.
Pyaemia	Blood poisoning with abscesses	Pyaemia was often fatal before antibiotics.
Pyknosis	Shrinking of cell nuclei	Pyknosis is a sign of cell death.
Pyrrhuloxia	A desert cardinal-like bird	The pyrrhuloxia’s crest stood tall.
Pyxis	A small box or container	The antique pyxis held precious spices.
Qepiq	Azerbaijani currency subdivision	The price was fifty qepiqs.
Qibla	Direction of Mecca for Muslim prayer	The mosque’s qibla was carefully aligned.
Qoph	A Hebrew letter	Qoph is the nineteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Quadrumvirate	A group of four leaders	The quadrumvirate governed the city-state.
Quagga	An extinct zebra-like animal	The quagga once roamed South Africa.
Quamash	A North American edible plant	Native Americans harvested quamash bulbs.
Quandong	An Australian fruit	The quandong was used in bush tucker cuisine.
Quartan	Occurring every fourth day (e.g., fever)	The patient suffered from quartan malaria.
Quire	A set of 24 or 25 sheets of paper	The manuscript was bound in a quire.
Quixotic	Extremely idealistic, unrealistic	His quixotic quest was doomed from the start.
Quodlibet	A philosophical or theological debate	The scholars engaged in a quodlibet.
Recidivist	A repeat offender	The recidivist was sentenced again.
Respair	Fresh hope after despair	After years of grief, she found respair.
Rhytidectomy	A facelift	The actress underwent rhytidectomy.
Sachem	A Native American chief	The sachem led his people wisely.
Samovar	A Russian tea urn	The samovar steamed on the table.
Sarsenet	A fine, soft fabric	Her dress was made of delicate sarsenet.
Sauerbraten	A German pot roast	The sauerbraten was marinated for days.
Schtikl	A small amount or piece (Yiddish)	He didn’t want a schtikl of the cake.
Schwa	The unstressed vowel sound “uh”	The schwa is common in English.
Scripturient	Having a strong urge to write	The scripturient poet filled notebooks daily.
Soffit	The underside of an architectural feature	The soffit was decorated with intricate carvings.
Sphacelate	To become necrotic or gangrenous	The wound began to sphacelate.
Sporran	A Scottish pouch worn with a kilt	His sporran held coins and a flask.
Styptic	A substance that stops bleeding	The barber used a styptic pencil for nicks.
Suasible	Easily persuaded	The suasible child agreed quickly.
Susceptible	Likely to be influenced or harmed	He was susceptible to flattery.
Suzerain	A sovereign with limited control over a vassal	The emperor acted as suzerain over the region.
Sylph	A slender, graceful woman	She moved like a sylph across the stage.
Synecdoche	A figure of speech where part represents whole	“All hands on deck” is a synecdoche.
Tachometer	A device measuring rotation speed	The car’s tachometer showed high RPMs.
Talaria	Winged sandals of Hermes	The statue depicted Hermes with talaria.
Tchotchkeleh	A small decorative item (Yiddish)	Her shelves were full of tchotchkelehs.
Tenebrionid	A darkling beetle	The tenebrionid scuttled under the rock.
Tenosynovitis	Inflammation of a tendon sheath	Repetitive strain caused tenosynovitis.
Tercet	A three-line stanza	The poem ended with a poignant tercet.
Terrapin	A small turtle	The terrapin basked on a log.
Thalweg	The line of lowest elevation in a valley	The river followed the thalweg.
Thermistor	A temperature-sensitive resistor	The thermistor regulated the heater.
Thrips	Tiny, destructive insects	Thrips damaged the rose petals.
Thromboembolism	A blood clot obstruction	The patient was treated for thromboembolism.
Thrombophlebitis	Vein inflammation with clotting	Her thrombophlebitis required medication.
Thyrsus	A staff topped with a pine cone	Dionysus carried a thyrsus.
Tittynope	A small leftover amount	Only a tittynope of soup remained.
Tocopherol	Vitamin E	The lotion contained tocopherol for skin health.
Tokamak	A nuclear fusion device	The tokamak aimed to replicate star energy.
Transposon	A DNA sequence that can move	Transposons are “jumping genes.”
Tympani	Kettledrums	The tympani boomed in the orchestra.
Tzetze	A variant spelling of “tsetse” fly	The tzetze spread sleeping sickness.
Uintathere	An extinct prehistoric mammal	The uintathere had bizarre horn-like protrusions.
Ultracrepidarian	Someone who speaks outside their expertise	The ultracrepidarian pontificated on topics he knew nothing about.
Uraemia	Uremia; kidney failure toxin buildup	The patient suffered from uraemia.
Utahraptor	A large predatory dinosaur	The Utahraptor was a fearsome hunter.
Veau	French for “calf” or calf leather	The gloves were made of fine veau.
Velleity	A mere wish without action	His dreams remained velleities.
Wamble	To move unsteadily or feel nauseous	The boat’s motion made him wamble.
Wye	A Y-shaped part or junction	The railroad track split at the wye.
Xeroma	Abnormal dryness of the eyes	Xeroma made blinking painful.
Xerophthalmia	Severe dry eyes due to vitamin A deficiency	Malnutrition led to xerophthalmia.
Xerotes	Extreme dryness	The desert’s xerotes cracked the soil.
Xylophile	An organism that grows on wood	The xylophile fungus decayed the log.
Yanquapin	An American lotus plant	The yanquapin grew in the swamp.
Yataghan	A Turkish curved sword	The warrior wielded a gleaming yataghan.
Yen	A strong desire or craving	She had a yen for adventure.
Yottabyte	A unit of digital storage (10²⁴ bytes)	A yottabyte is an almost unimaginable amount of data.
Zugzwang	A chess position where any move worsens the situation	He was in zugzwang and had no good options.
Zwieback	A type of twice-baked bread	The baby teethed on zwieback toast.

Why Use Obscure Words?

Using obscure words can:

• Enhance your writing and make it more expressive
• Impress readers or listeners with your vocabulary
• Allow precision when discussing niche topics
• Add stylistic flair or a poetic touch to creative works

Obscure words are not just curiosities—they are powerful linguistic tools that can sharpen your communication and add nuance to your speech and writing. Start using one or two in your next conversation, blog post, or story, and watch your language come to life!

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