Obscure words
I once casually slipped the word "defenestrate" into conversation, prompting blank stares and awkward silence from my friends. Turns out, not everyone appreciates tossing things out windows as much as I do. But that’s exactly why we need more obscure words. They’re odd, delightful, and deserve more love. Here are some hidden gems for your vocabulary arsenal.
This charmingly quirky list features rare words and phrases that true wordsmiths adore but that often leave the general public scratching their heads. From beautifully bizarre terms describing oddly specific scenarios to wonderfully weird adjectives and forgotten verbs, these obscure vocabulary gems are guaranteed to elevate your conversational game. Each term is showcased with delightful humor, providing a funny and enlightening journey into the corners of language you didn’t even know existed. Prepare yourself for words that will impress, amuse, and possibly confuse your friends.






























As you perused these obscure words, you probably felt a mixture of amusement, curiosity, and an urgent need to start dropping these linguistic oddities into everyday conversation. Each entry offered you a fun glimpse into how wonderfully diverse and playful language can be.
Enjoyed these quirky words? You might also love our collections of funny vocabulary fails, weird dictionary entries, language humor, and fascinating etymology tidbits.
Love this collection! “Defenestrate” always makes me laugh, and “boondoggle” is such a perfect term for wasted effort. If you enjoy quirky vocab like this, you might like Vennary.com—we catalog forgotten and suppressed words from all sorts of sources. It’s like a rabbit hole for linguistic nerds. Thanks for the inspiration!