25 Weird Words | Meanings & Examples
The English language is full of weird words. Maybe you had to “absquatulate” from a meeting, or you’ve been to a “hootenanny.” You may have experienced a “kerfuffle” at a family meal, or you might know someone suffering from “kakorrhaphiophobia.”
This article contains a list of weird words, what they mean, and examples of how to use them.
What are weird words?
“Weird” can mean “strange,” “odd,” “quirky”, or “kooky.” Similarly, words might be weird because they’re very rare, look funny, sound funny, or have a meaning that seems to contradict the word itself.
Weird words may have been imported from foreign languages, been invented by someone, or have an unusual origin.
Weird words in English
1. Absquatulate
Absquatulate (ab-skwoch-uh-layt) is a verb meaning “to leave abruptly.”
Example: The king absquatulated once his tax fraud became public news.
2. Borborygmus
Borborygmus (bor-buh-rig-muhs) is a noun that means “a rumbling or gurgling noise made by gas and fluid moving in the intestines.”
Example: His stomach’s loud borborygmus made it clear that he had skipped breakfast.
3. Buttress
Buttress (buh-tris) is a noun meaning “a supporting structure, often for a building or wall,” or a verb meaning “to strengthen or reinforce.”
Example: The cathedral’s flying buttresses were both functional and beautiful.
4. Cabotage
Cabotage (kab-uh-tahzh) is a noun and means “the transport of goods between two places in the same country.” It’s mostly used in maritime or aviation contexts, but can refer to ground transport as well.
Example: The government restricted foreign airlines from engaging in cabotage to protect local carriers.
5. Callipygian
Callipygian (kal-uh-pij-ee-uhn) is an adjective that means “having well-shaped or beautiful buttocks.”
Example: The statue of Aphrodite is renowned for its callipygian elegance.
6. Catawampus
Catawampus (kat-uh-wom-puhs) is an adjective meaning “askew, awry, or diagonally.” It can also mean “fierce or destructive.”
Example: After the earthquake, all the pictures on the wall were catawampus.
7. Defenestration
Defenestration (dee-fen-uh-stray-shun) is a noun that means “the act of throwing someone out of a window.” Metaphorically, it can also mean “the act of removing someone from a position of power.”
Example: The historical Defenestration of Prague involved city council members being hurled from a castle window.
8. Dongle
Dongle (dong-gul) is a noun meaning “a small device that plugs into a computer.” A pen drive is an example of a dongle.
Example: I forgot my dongle at home, so I couldn’t connect my laptop to the projector.
9. Floccinaucinihilipilification
Floccinaucinihilipilification (flok-suh-now-suh-nee-hil-uh-pil-uh-fi-kay-shun) is a noun that means “the act of regarding something to be useless or worthless.”
Example: His floccinaucinihilipilification of my ideas made me feel unappreciated.
10. Gobbledygook
Gobbledygook (gah-buhl-dee-gook) is a noun and means “language that is meaningless or unintelligible because of overly technical terms.”
Example: The contract was filled with so much gobbledygook that I had no idea what it actually said.
11. Hootenanny
Hootenanny (Hoo-tuh-nan-ee) is a noun in American English that means “a party with folk music and dancing.” Hootenannies are often improvisatory and involve the audience.
Example: We had a blast at the hootenanny last night, singing along with the band.
12. Hullabaloo
Hullabaloo (hul-uh-buh-loo) is a noun meaning “a commotion, fuss, or uproar.”
Example: Excited fans waiting to see the famous actor caused a hullabaloo outside the theater.
13. Innuendo
Innuendo (in-yoo-en-doh) is a noun meaning “a subtle or indirect remark, often suggestive or disparaging.”
Example: His speech was filled with innuendos about his opponent’s questionable ethics.
14. Kakorrhaphiophobia
Kakorrhaphiophobia (ka-kor-uh-fee-uh-foh-bee-uh) the noun for “a fear of failure.”
Example: Her kakorrhaphiophobia kept her from taking risks, even when she had a great opportunity.
15. Kerfuffle
Kerfuffle (ker-fuff-ul) is a noun meaning “a commotion or fuss, especially one caused by conflicting views.”
Example: There was a minor kerfuffle at Thanksgiving when my eldest sister and uncle disagreed about politics.
16. Lollygag
Lollygag (lol-ee-gag) is a verb. It’s an informal, American way to say “to waste time or to idle.”
Example: That group of teens is known in town for lollygagging outside the convenience store.
17. Octothorpe
Octothorpe (ock-toh-thorp) is the noun for “#” symbol on a keyboard. This symbol is also called the “pound,” “hash,” or “number sign.”
Example: The hashtag symbol, also known as the octothorpe, became essential for social media trends.
“Octo” means “eight,” and “thorpe” was supposedly added as a reference to Olympic gold medalist Jim Thorpe.
18. Overmorrow
Overmorrow (oh-ver-mor-oh) is a noun meaning “the day after tomorrow.” This is an old-fashioned word that is rarely used nowadays.
Example: We’re leaving for London overmorrow, so please make sure the horses are prepared.
19. Petrichor
Petrichor (pet-ri-kor) is a noun meaning “the smell after rain falls on dry ground.” Petrichor usually carries a pleasant connotation.
Example: After the storm, the air was filled with the refreshing scent of petrichor.
“Petra” means “related to rocks,” and “ichor” is the fluid that runs in the veins of the gods of Greek mythology.
20. Sesquipedalian
Sesquipedalian (ses-kwi-puh-day-lee-uhn) is an adjective that means something is “characterized by long words.” It can also mean that a word is “long or polysyllabic.”
Example: That book—with its purple prose and sesquipedalian vocabulary—made me weary.
21. Syzygy
Syzygy (siz-uh-jee) is a noun for “the alignment of three celestial bodies in an almost straight line,” such as the sun, moon, and Earth.
Example: The rare syzygy of the planets created a spectacular sight in the night sky.
22. Taradiddle
Taradiddle (Tar-uh-did-uhl) is a noun meaning “a petty lie” or “pretentious nonsense.”
Example: His story about wrestling a bear was just a taradiddle to impress his friends.
23. Truculence
Truculence (truh-kyuh-lens) is a noun meaning “aggressiveness or belligerence.”
Example: After three whiskies, Jane’s truculence really came out.
24. Verklempt
Verklempt (ver-klempt) is an adjective that means “overcome with emotion” or “choked up.” This is an informal word used chiefly in North America.
Example: She was completely verklempt when she saw her childhood home for the first time in decades.
25. Widdershins
Widdershins (wid-er-shinz) is an adverb meaning “counterclockwise” and often conveys a sense of bad luck.
Example: The old superstition warned against walking widdershins around a church at night.
Frequently asked questions about weird words
- What’s another word for weird?
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Another word for “weird” is:
- Odd
- Uncommon
- Strange
- Unconventional
- Quirky
- Kooky
For example, instead of saying “Those are really weird words,” you could say “those are really strange words.”
Use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to find more ways to express “weird.”
- What’s the meaning of bumfuzzle?
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“Bumfuzzle” is a verb that means “to confuse or fluster” (e.g., “The complicated instructions completely bumfuzzled me”).
This is an informal, American English word. It’s not common in everyday use throughout the US, though you may encounter it in Southern and Midland dialects.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can make sure you spell even weird words like “bumfuzzle” correctly.
- How do you spell weird?
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The adjective “weird” is spelled “w-e-i-r-d.”
Like in the alphabet, in “weird,” “e” comes before “i.”
Use QuillBot’s Grammar Checker to make sure you spell “weird” right every time. You can also try our Grammar Checker extension for Chrome.
- What is eellogofusciouhipoppokunurious?
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“Eellogofusciouhipoppokunurious” is a 30-letter adjective that means “very good or fine.” It’s one of the longest words in English.
For example, “The chef’s special dessert was nothing short of eellogofusciouhipoppokunurious—a truly delightful treat!”
This word supposedly developed as American English slang in the early 20th century, though it doesn’t appear in any major dictionary.
Use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to find different ways to incorporate weird words like this one into your writing.
- What is a screed?
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A “screed” can be different things depending on the context.
In common use, this noun means “a long discourse,” often with the connotation of being tedious or annoying (e.g., “His email turned into a long screed about office politics”).
In construction, a “screed” is a tool or layer of material used to level a floor. In this context, “screed” can also be a verb meaning “to level a floor.”
Use QuillBot’s Grammar Checker to make sure you spell “screed” and other weird words correctly.
