12 New Words to Use This Week ...

No, not "licorice" as in candy to eat! Lickerish means "a person very fond of food" or "someone who enjoys the eating experience." An example of using this in a sentence would be, "The chef greatly enjoyed cooking for his lickerish guests and prepared a feast for their pleasure."

This delightful word is pronounced "fron-tist." It doesn't mean "someone who needs to be in front" or "someone who puts on a front." The word "phrontist" means "a deep thinker!" Are you a phrontist? Do you have a place of phrontistery? (That would be a place where deep thinking happens, by the way.)

Did you know that a person known as a "jack of all trades" is in fact, a "factotum"? "Factotum" means someone who possesses diverse traits or responsibilities and can serve in a wide range of capacities Which term would you rather use?

If you are going to depart from a specific place, you plan to "absquatulate." Used in a sentence, you would say "And now, without further ado, I will absquatulate the premises." Boy! That would leave them wondering what you said, wouldn't it?

Have you ever stirred up a "kerfuffle"? If you have ever caused a commotion, that's exactly what you did! "Kerfuffle" is commotion. "Those children are causing quite the kerfuffle over there, aren't they?" (Oh, I just adore words like this!)

Flattery will get you everywhere! (Or "blarney" if you want a new word choice!) "Blarney will get you everywhere!" There's a great word to impress your boss next time he is complementing your work!

Spring breeds love and romance and the flowers bloom and the birds sing. This common love sickness we seem to get as Spring arrives is known as "vernorexia" or "a romantic mood inspired by Spring." How neat is that!

Know someone who is a tad lazy? Refer to them as a "huderon human being" and see what response you get! Huderon is an adjective and is another (much more awesome) word for lazy. I think it sounds a tad nicer too, don't you?

I do not claim to be an English scholar. In fact, I'm certain our editors find many a "solecism" in my articles. "Solecism" is an error in grammar or spelling. Isn't this a most peculiar word for "error?"

If you are working out with someone you do not want to offend, but their strong sweat smell is offending your nose, you might tell them this: "There is some bromidrosis in the area, and you have to go for now." "Bromidrosis" is strong smelling perspiration.

I don't know about you, but I have seen many a "gongoozler" in my day. A "gongoozler" is an idle spectator - someone who is just being nosy for the sake of being nosy.

Do you know someone who is always talking rudely or abusively to others? A bully of words? If so, then you know someone who is "maledicent."

I love learning new words to say and throw people for a loop every now and then. It's a wonderful way to keep our English language alive! Do you have any new words to use that you could suggest to the rest of us?