31 Words to sophisticate your dialect

Piquant

adjective

[PEE-kuhnt, -kahnt, pee-KAHNT]

Food that is pungent or sharp in a good way; can be used to describe nonfood nouns in a similar way (to say someone has a piquant wit is to say she is sharply funny)

A good blue cheese has blue streaks and a piquant flavor.

Origin: From the French piquer (to prick)

Fastidious

adjective

[fa-STID-ee-uhs, fuh-STID-ee-uhs]

Extremely picky, finicky, demanding or critical

Olive usually allows her kids to go to school as they please, but on picture day, she’s fastidious with their outfits and hair.

Origin: From the Latin fastidiosus (squeamish)

Harbinger

noun or verb

[HAHR-bin-jer]

A person who goes ahead to announce the coming of another; something that foreshadows a future event (omen); to act as a harbinger or herald

Rene was convinced her boss’ sudden absence was a harbinger of his leaving the firm.

Origin: From the late Middle English herbergere

Dichotomy

noun

[die-KOT-uh-mee]

Division into two parts, especially those that are contradictory

Given the terrible reviews she’d received for her last three performances, there’s obviously a dichotomy between Peggie’s aspirations of fame and her abilities as an actress.

Origin: From the Greek dichotomia

Equivocate

verb

[ih-KWIV-uh-keyt]

To be ambiguous or noncommittal (usually in an attempt to deceive); to beat around the bush

When asked about plans for her birthday, Deirdre’s husband was forced to equivocate to avoid spoiling her surprise party.

Origin: From the Latin aequivocatus (ambiguous)

Denouement

noun

[dey-noo-MAHN]

The resolution of the details of a plot or series of occurrences; the wrap-up

The denouement of The Sopranos left many people speechless.

Origin: From the French

Ingenue

noun

[AN-zhuh-noo, -nyoo; French pronunciation: an-zhey-NY]

Often referring to a role in theater, a naive young woman (or an actress who specializes in playing such roles)

It’s not a surprise Lilly’s had her heart broken so many times; she’s an ingenue who’s attracted to bad boys.

Origin: From the Latin ingenuus (native, inborn)

Subterfuge

noun

[SUHB-ter-fyooj]

An action intended to hide or misrepresent the true nature of an activity

Jim’s subterfuge worked! Deirdre had no idea about her surprise party.

Origin: From the Latin subterfugium (to evade)

Desultory

adjective

[DES-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]

Unplanned or without definite purpose; inconsistent or disconnected; digressing from the subject

Reagan’s desultory behavior is often confusing to her boyfriend.

Origin: From the Latin desultorius (related to a circus performer who jumps from one horse to another)

Bildungsroman

noun

[BIL-doongz-roh-mahn; German pronunciation: BEEL-doongks-raw-mahn]

A coming-of-age novel; a novel that addresses the development of a young protagonist

The Twilight Saga is a bildungsroman following a young girl who falls in love with and eventually marries a vampire.

Origin: From the German

Mellifluous

adjective

[muh-LIF-loo-uhs]

The quality of sounding sweet or flowing smoothly

Tessanne Chin’s performance of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” was brilliantly mellifluous.

Origin: From the Latin mellifluus

Miasma

noun

[mahy-AZ-muh, mee-]

Noxious and/or poisonous fumes from organic matter; a dangerous or deathlike influence or atmosphere

Shayne’s miasma was suddenly obvious to Kate, who was forced to end their friendship or risk alienating other friends.

Origin: From the Greek miainein (to pollute)

Zeitgeist

noun

[TSAHYT-gahyst]

A trend of thought or emotion that distinguishes a particular period of time or movement; the spirit of the times

Thea can’t understand the zeitgeist of reality television, but none of her friends can get enough of it.

Origin: German

Iconoclast

noun

[ahy-KON-uh-klast]

Someone who attacks or destroys traditional beliefs or institutions (especially religious ones) as being based on error or superstition

Thea’s friend Keith wasn’t bothered by her hatred of reality television — he knows Thea’s just a serial iconoclast.

Origin: From the Medieval Latin iconoclastes

Finagle

verb

[fi-NEY-guhl]

To obtain something by means of trickery or manipulation

Michelle managed to finagle a day off without penalty by pretending to be ill in front of her germophobic boss.

Origin: Americanism

Redolent

adjective

[RED-l-uhnt]

Pleasantly fragrant; reminiscent of

Janet enjoyed awakening to the redolent fragrance of roses outside her window.

Origin: From the Latin redolere (to emit odor)

Esoteric

adjective

[es-uh-TER-ik]

Obscure or mysterious; cryptic; arcane; taught to a small number of people; private or confidential

No matter how esoteric your interest, there’s probably a magazine or website about it.

Origin: From the Greek esoterikós (inner)

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