this post was submitted on 28 Jun 2023
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Mine is "palimpsest". I first encountered this word while reading The Secret History by Donna Tartt.

Definition: a manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain.

I love that there's a word for this.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

"Defenestrate". Meaning to throw someone or something out of a window.

[–] OptimistPrime 1 points 1 year ago

Ahh yeah! That's another one of my favorites

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Mine is “snickerdoodle” which brought back long forgotten memories of bake sales. Also it’s just a delightful word!

[–] OptimistPrime 3 points 1 year ago

One of the best cookies

[–] southsamurai 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Brobdingnagian

From Brobdingnagians, the race of giants :)

[–] OptimistPrime 2 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

One in Spanish that I really liked: arrebol. The definition is “the reddish colour of the sky during twilight”. It’s a pretty word for a pretty concept. 🌅

[–] OptimistPrime 2 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I literally thought Palimpsest when I saw the title.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I just came across "palimpsest" for the first time recently too! It was while reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, by VE Schwab. It's been a while since I had to look a word up, so it stuck in my mind, lol.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I discovered 'jeroboam' in The Difference Engine by Gibson & Sterling. It's an interesting word: when capitalized, it's a Biblical king; otherwise, it's a bottle.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Florid; as in, "Wilde's florid prose..."

I don't know why but it's stuck in my mind since.