Add some whimsy to your life
Horripilation is the bristling of hair on the skin from cold or fright. Horripilation derives from the Latin words horripilātiōn and horripilātiō (bristling of hair) and horripilāre (to shudder). Horripilation is essentially the perfect sesquipedalian word for goose bumps, or as I occasionally call them, goose pimples. Horripilation also sounds a bit more sinister and… Continue reading Word Nerd: Horripilation
Alew is an obsolete term for a cry of despair. Alew is also the cry used to call hounds at a hunt, a variation of halloo. I was unable to find much about the word alew in my hunt, much to my despair (you see what I did there.). The few facts I was able… Continue reading Word Nerd: Alew
Hypnagogic means of, relating to, or occurring in the period of drowsiness immediately preceding sleep. Hypnagogic derives from the Greek root hypn- (sleep) and -agōgos (inducing). Hypnagogic is also borrowed from the French hypnagogique. Hypnagogic or a hypnagogic state is a state of half-sleep, that lull between consciousness and unconsciousness where the mind is half-dreaming… Continue reading Word Nerd: Hypnagogic
Woolgathering means an idle or absentminded indulgence in daydreaming. Woolgathering is a combination of the words wool and gathering and it originated around the 1550's. Actual woolgathering is the act of gathering tufts of loose wool that got caught on bushes and fences and the like as sheep passed by and those who were woolgathering… Continue reading Word Nerd: Woolgathering
Alpas means to become free or break loose. Alpas is a Filipino word (and Filipino itself is a standardized variety of the Tagalog language). Alpasan also means loose, set free or let go. Alpas is a word I kinda love just because it's so different and I've always found Tagalog to be an interesting language.… Continue reading Word Nerd: Alpas
Kontal-Kontil is the swinging of long earrings or the swishing of a dress as one walks. Kontal-Kontil is an Indonesian term that has no direct English counterpart, which is a real shame. Poetic words from other languages like kontal-kontil are one of my favorite things. It shows both the limits of the English language and the… Continue reading Word Nerd: Kontal-Kontil
