The SRD Dictionary of (Semi-) Obscure Terms

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

NOTE: In addition to the $20 dollar and the $10 words, I included many $5 dollar words, so that readers of all vocabulatory proficiencies will be able to better enjoy SRD's works. Feel free to add to this list. Terms for which I was unable to find a suitable definition are marked with "???".


A

abeyance - a state of temporary disuse or suspension.
abjure - solemnly renounce (a belief, cause, or claim).
abysm - a literary or poetic term for abyss.
acerbic - 1. (especially of a comment or style of speaking) sharp and forthright. 2. tasting sour or bitter.
actinic - (of light or lighting) able to cause photochemical reactions, as in photography, through having a significant short wavelength or ultraviolet component.
adumbrate - report or represent in outline.
aegis - the protection, backing, or support of a particular person or organization.
alacrity - brisk and cheerful readiness.
allusive - (of a remark or reference) working by suggestion rather than explicit mention.
alluvial - made up of or found in the materials that are left by the water of rivers, floods, etc.
ambergrised - adjective-form of the noun, "ambergris".
ambit - the scope, extent, or bounds of something.
anadem - a wreath for the head.
anademed - wreathed upon the head.
analystic - relating to or using analysis or logical reasoning.
anele - anoint (someone), especially as part of the Christian rite of giving extreme unction to the dying.
anile - of or resembling a doddering old woman; senile.
anneal - heat (metal or glass) and allow it to cool slowly, in order to remove internal stresses and toughen it.
anodyne - 1. (adj.) not likely to provoke dissent or offense; inoffensive, often deliberately so. 2. (noun) a painkilling drug or medicine.
anoxia - an absence of oxygen.
apotheosis - the highest point in the development of something; culmination or climax.
arable - (of land) used or suitable for growing crops.
architrave - 1. (in classical architecture) a main beam resting across the tops of columns, specifically the lower third entablature. 2. the molded frame around a doorway or window.
argute - characterized by shrewdness, acuteness, or sagacity.
arras - a rich tapestry, typically hung on the walls of a room or used to conceal an alcove.
arroyo - a water-carved gully or channel.
asperity - harshness of tone or manner.
asseveration - the solemn or emphatic declaration or statement of something.
assiduous - showing great care and perseverance.
atavistic - relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral.
attar - a fragrant essential oil (as from rose petals)
aubade - a poem or piece of music appropriate to the dawn or early morning.
auge - apogee; top; summit.
augury - a sign of what will happen in the future; an omen.
aumbrie - a small recess or cupboard in the wall of a church. (alternate of “ambry”)
autonomic - involuntary or unconscious; relating to the autonomic nervous system.


B

badinage - humorous or witty conversation.
baf - ???
bale - evil considered as a destructive force.
banyan - an Indian fig tree whose branches produce aerial roots that later become accessory trunks.
barranca - a narrow, winding river gorge.
basalt - a dark, fine-grained volcanic rock that sometimes displays a columnar structure. It is typically composed largely of plagioclase with pyroxene and olivine.
baulk - 1. a ridge of land left unplowed as a dividing line or through carelessness. 2. beam, rafter. 3. hindrance, check.
bayard - a bay (i.e. reddish-brown) horse.
bedizen - to dress or adorn gaudily.
bedizened - dressed up or decorated gaudily.
belaying-pin - a pin or rod, typically of metal or wood, used on board ship and in mountaineering to secure a rope fastened around it.
benison - a blessing.
bilhook -a tool with a sickle-shaped blade with a sharp inner edge, used for pruning or lopping branches or other vegetation.
bilious - 1. affected by or associated with nausea or vomiting. 2. spiteful; bad-tempered. 3. of or relating to bile.
bindweed - a twining plant with trumpet-shaped flowers. Several kinds are invasive weeds.
blithe - showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper.
bluff - 1. a steep cliff, bank, or promontory. 2. a grove or clump of trees.
bole - the trunk of a tree.
bonhomie - cheerful friendliness; geniality.
bourne - 1. a small stream, especially one that flows intermittently or seasonally. 2. a goal; a destination. 3. a limit; a boundary.
bower - a pleasant shady place under trees or climbing plants in a garden or wood. 2. each of two anchors carried at a ship's bow.
brume - mist or fog.
brunted - ???
bryony - 1. a climbing plant that has greenish-white flowers, red berries, and springlike tendrils. Native to Eurasia, it is the only British member of the gourd family. 2. a climbing plant with broad glossy leaves, poisonous red berries, and black tubers. Native to Europe, it is the only British member of the yam family.
buboes - swollen, inflamed lymph nodes in the armpit or groin. (singular: bubo)
bursa - a fluid-filled sac or saclike cavity, especially one countering friction at a joint.


C

caducity - the infirmity of old age; senility.
caesure - a pause or interruption; (in Greek and Latin verse) a break between words within a metrical foot.
caitiff - a contemptible or cowardly person.
calamus - 1. another term for sweet flag. 2. the hollow lower part of the shaft of a feather, which lacks barbs; a quill.
calcareous - containing calcium carbonate; chalky.
caliginous - misty, dim; obscure, dark.
callow - (especially of a young person) inexperienced and immature.
cantrip - a mischievous or playful act; a trick.
capitate - (adj.) ending in a distinct compact head. 2. (noun) the largest of the carpal bones, situated at the base of the palm of the hand and articulating with the third metacarpal.
captious - (of a person) tending to find fault or raise petty objections.
carbuncle - 1. a severe abscess or multiple boil in the skin, typically infected with staphylococcus bacteria. 2. a bright red gem, in particular a garnet cut en cabochon.
carcanet - a necklace or ornamental collar, typically made of gold or set with jewels.
carillon - a set of bells in a tower, played using a keyboard or by an automatic mechanism similar to a piano roll.
carious - (of bones or teeth) decayed.
catafalque - a decorated wooden framework supporting the coffin of a distinguished person during a funeral or while lying in state.
cataphract - (from “to be completely enclosed”) a soldier in full armor.
catenulated - shaped as like a chain.
cateran - a warrior or raider from the Scottish Highlands.
caterwaul - 1. (verb) (of a cat) make a shrill howling or wailing noise. 2. (noun) a shrill howling or wailing noise.
celerity - swiftness of movement.
cenotaph - a tomblike monument to someone buried elsewhere, especially one commemorating people who died in a war.
censer - a container in which incense is burned, typically during a religious ceremony.
cerement - waxed cloth for wrapping a corpse.
cerise - (from “cherry”) a moderate red color.
cerulean - a deep, sky-blue color.
chaconne - a composition in a series of varying sections in slow triple time, typically over a short repeated bass theme.
chancreous - characterized by chancres (sores or ulcers)
chancrous - primary sore or ulcer at the site of entry of a pathogen (as in tularemia).; especially :  the initial lesion of syphilis.
charlock - a wild mustard with yellow flowers, commonly found as a weed in fields and along roadsides.
charnel - 1. (noun) short for charnel house. 2. (adj.) associated with death.
chary - cautiously or suspiciously reluctant to do something.
chatoyant - (of a gem, especially when cut en cabochon) showing a band of bright reflected light caused by aligned inclusions in the stone.
chiaroscuro - the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting.
chicane - deception by artful subterfuge or sophistry.
chlamys - a short cloak worn by men in ancient Greece.
chrism - a mixture of oil and balsam, consecrated and used for anointing at baptism and in other rites of Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican Churches.
chrysoprase - an apple-green variety of chalcedony containing nickel, used as a gemstone.
chthonic - concerning, belonging to, or inhabiting the underworld.
clangorous - evocative of a resounding, loud metallic ringing sound or a melody of such sounds.
clarion - a shrill, narrow-tubed war trumpet.
claymore - a two-edged broadsword used by Scottish Highlanders.
clench - SRD's favorite word.
clinquant - 1. (adj.) glittering with gold and silver; tinseled. 2. (noun) imitation gold leaf.
cloacal - sewer-like.
coign - a projecting corner or angle of a wall or building.
col - the lowest point of a ridge or saddle between two peaks, typically affording a pass from one side of a mountain range to another.
comber - a long curling sea wave.
concatenate - link (things) together in a chain or series.
concatenation - a series of interconnected things or events.
condign - (of punishment or retribution) appropriate to the crime or wrongdoing; fitting and deserved.
condyle - a rounded protuberance at the end of some bones, forming an articulation with another bone.
congeries - a disorderly collection; a jumble.
connivance - willingness to secretly allow or be involved in wrongdoing, especially an immoral or illegal act.
coomb - a short valley or hollow on a hillside or coastline.
copse - a small group of trees.
cornflower - a slender Eurasian plant related to the knapweeds, with flowers that are typically a deep, vivid blue.
cortege - a solemn procession, especially for a funeral.
coruscate - (of light) flash or sparkle.
crab - to move sideways or obliquely.
crag - a steep or rugged cliff or rock face.
crenellated - having open spaces at the top of a wall so that people can shoot guns and cannons outward.
crepitation - a crackling or rattling sound.
crepuscular - of, resembling, or relating to twilight.
cromlech - (in Wales) a megalithic tomb consisting of a large flat stone laid on upright ones.
crysoprase - an apple-green variety of chalcedony containing nickel, used as a gemstone.
cudgel - a short thick stick used as a weapon.
cuirass - a piece of armor consisting of breastplate and backplate fastened together.
cymar - a woman's short fur-trimmed jacket, popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. (alternate of "simar")
cynosure - a person or thing that is the center of attention or admiration.


D

dais - a low platform for a lectern, seats of honor, or a throne.
darm - intestine, gut.
debouche- 1. (noun) an exit or outlet. 2. (verb) to emerge from a narrow or confined space into a wide, open area.
deflagration - the action of heating a substance until it burns away rapidly.
delinition - a smearing.
deliracy - delirium.
delirancy - delirium.
delirant - delirious.
delitescent - lying hidden, obfuscated, latent.
demesne - 1. land attached to a manor and retained for the owner's own use. 2. possession of real property in one's own right; domain.
demnify - inhabit.
demur - raise doubts or objections or show reluctance.
depredation - an act of attacking or plundering.
descant - 1. (noun) an independent treble melody usually sung or played above a basic melody. 2. (verb) talk tediously or at length.
destrier - a medieval knight's warhorse.
desuetude - a state of disuse.
desultory - lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.
devoir - a person's duty.
diffident - modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence.
dirge - a lament for the dead, especially one forming part of a funeral rite.
discomfit - make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed.
discomfiture - 1. the act of discomfiting. 2. the state of being discomfited.
doggerel - comic verse composed in irregular rhythm.
doublet - a man's short close-fitting padded jacket, commonly worn from the 14th to the 17th century.
dray - a large, powerful horse used to pull heavy loads.
dromond - a large medieval fast-sailing galley or cutter.
drover - a person who moves groups of animals (such as cattle or sheep) from one place to another.
dulcet - (especially of sound) sweet and soothing (often used ironically).
dun - a dull grayish-brown color.
dunt - hit or knock firmly with a dull sound.


E

ecru - the light beige color of unbleached linen.
effloresce - 1. (of a substance) lose moisture and turn to a fine powder upon exposure to air. 2. reach an optimum stage of development; blossom.
effluence - a substance that flows out from something.
effluvium - a substance that flows out from something.
effrontery - insolent or impertinent behavior.
eglantine - another term for sweetbrier.
eidolon - 1. an idealized person or thing. 2. a specter or phantom.
elegiac - 1. (adj.) (especially of a work of art) having a mournful quality. 2. (noun) verses in an elegiac meter.
elegy - 1. a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead. 2. (in Greek and Roman poetry) a poem written in elegiac couplets, as notably by Catullus and Propertius.
elide - omit (a sound or syllable) when speaking.
elision - the omission of a sound or syllable when speaking (as in I'm, let's, e ' en ).
embrasure - a small opening in a parapet of a fortified building, splayed on the inside.
encyst - enclose or become enclosed in a cyst.
enfilade - 1. (noun) a volley of gunfire directed along a line from end to end. 2. (noun) a suite of rooms with doorways in line with each other. 3. (verb) direct a volley of gunfire along the length of (a target).
ensepulchred - to be confined in, or as if in, a sepulchre.
ensepulture - to be buried, interred.
ensorcelled - to be enchanted, fascinated.
ensorcellment - enchantment, fascination.
epitonic - abnormally tense, overstrained, stretched.
equipoise - 1. (noun) balance of forces or interests. 2. (verb) balance or counterbalance (something).
escarpment - a long, steep slope, especially one at the edge of a plateau or separating areas of land at different heights.
etoliate - to enfeeble through lack of light.
etoliated - (of a plant) pale and drawn out due to a lack of light.
excoriate - 1. censure or criticize severely. 2. damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin).
excrudescence - A symbolic abnormal outgrowth.
exculpation - proof that someone is not guilty of doing something wrong.
execrate - feel or express great loathing for.
exigency - an urgent need or demand.
exigent - pressing; demanding.
expostulation - an act or an instance of disagreement or argumentation against something.
extirpate - root out and destroy completely.


F

facile - 1. (especially of a theory or argument) appearing neat and comprehensive only by ignoring the true complexities of an issue; superficial. 2. (of success, especially in sports) easily achieved; effortless.
fain - 1. (adj.) pleased or willing under the circumstances. 2. (adv.) with pleasure; gladly.
falchion - a broad, slightly curved sword with the cutting edge on the convex side.
fane - a temple or shrine.
fatuous - silly and pointless.
febrifuge - a medicine used to reduce fever.
febrile - having or showing the symptoms of a fever.
fetor - a strong, foul smell.
fey - giving an impression of vague unworldliness.
fie - used to express disgust or outrage.
flamberge - a flame-bladed sword.
fop - a man who is concerned with his clothes and appearance in an affected and excessive way; a dandy.
formication - a sensation like insects crawling over the skin.
forsworn - to have agreed to give up or do without (something).
forsythia - a widely cultivated ornamental Eurasian shrub whose bright yellow flowers appear in early spring before the leaves.
frangible - fragile; brittle.
freshet - the flood of a river from heavy rain or melted snow.
friable - easily crumbled.
frisson - a sudden strong feeling of excitement or fear; a thrill.
frog - an elastic horny pad growing in the sole of a horse's hoof, helping to absorb the shock when the hoof hits the ground.
fructify - make (something) fruitful or productive.
fug - a warm, stuffy, or smoky atmosphere in a room.
fuligin - 1. soot, lampblack. 2. a hypothetical color darker than black.
fulsomeness - a very enthusiastic or emotional expression of something (such as praise or thanks).
fulvous - reddish yellow; tawny.
furze - another term for gorse (a spiny yellow-flowered European shrub (Ulex europaeus) of the legume family).


G

galvanic - 1. relating to or involving electric currents produced by chemical action. 2. sudden and dramatic.
gambol - 1. (verb) run or jump about playfully. 2. (noun) an act of running or jumping about playfully.
gangrel - a vagrant.
gaol - a jail.
gavotte - a medium-paced French dance, popular in the 18th century.
geas - (in Irish folklore) an obligation or prohibition magically imposed on a person.
gelid - icy; extremely cold.
get - an animal's offspring.
glaive - a sword.
glode - 1. (noun) a place free from brushwood. 2. (noun) a bright place in the sky; a flash of light. 3. (verb) past tense of glide.
gobbet - a piece or lump of flesh, food, or other matter.
grandiloquent - pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner, especially in a way that is intended to impress.
gravid - 1. pregnant; carrying eggs or young. 2. full of meaning or a specified quality.
gravitas - dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner.
grotesquery - a grotesque thing.
grue - any byproduct of a gruesome event, such as gore, viscera, entrails, blood and guts.
guerdon - 1. (noun) a reward or recompense. 2. (verb) give a reward to (someone).


H

habiliment - clothing.
hagridding - afflicting with nightmares or torment.
halcyon - 1. (adj.) denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful. 2. (noun) a tropical Asian and African kingfisher with brightly colored plumage. 3. (noun) a mythical bird said by ancient writers to breed in a nest floating at sea at the winter solstice, charming the wind and waves into calm.
halitus - 1. breath, exhalation. 2. steam, vapor.
halloo - exclamation used to attract someone’s attention.
hamate - a carpal bone situated on the lower outside edge of the hand. It has a hook-shaped projection on the palmar side to which muscles of the little finger are attached.
hamstrung - to be crippled (a person or animal) by cutting by a cutting of their hamstrings.
harbinger - a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.
harrow - 1. (noun) an implement consisting of a heavy frame set with teeth or tines that is dragged over plowed land to break up clods, remove weeds, and cover seed. 2. (verb) draw a harrow over (land). 3. (verb) cause distress to.
hauteur - haughtiness of manner; disdainful pride.
hawser - a thick rope or cable for mooring or towing a ship.
hebetude - the state of being dull or lethargic.
hieratic - of or concerning priests.
hierophant - a person, especially a priest in ancient Greece, who interprets sacred mysteries or esoteric principles.
hillock - a small hill or mound.
hock - 1. (verb) informal term for pawn. 2. (noun) the joint in a quadruped's hind leg between the knee and the fetlock, the angle of which points backward. 3. (noun) a knuckle of meat, especially of pork or ham.
huzzah - exclamation used to express approval or delight; hurrah.


I

ichor - the fluid that flows like blood in the veins of the gods.
ictus - 1. a rhythmical or metrical stress. 2. a stroke or seizure; a fit.
illucid - not lucid, crystalline or clear.
immedicable - unable to be healed or treated; incurable.
immiscible - (of liquids) not forming a homogeneous mixture when added together.
immiseration - economic impoverishment.
immured - to be enclosed or confined against one’s will.
impassivity - a lack of emotion or emotional expressiveness.
impercipience - the quality or state of being imperceptive.
imperious - assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering.
impolitesse - impoliteness.
imprecation - a spoken curse.
inanation - lack of mental or spiritual vigor and enthusiasm.
incarnadine - a bright crimson or pinkish-red color.
inchoate - just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary.
incondign - not appropriate or proportionate; unfitting; undeserved.
incused - mark (a coin) with a figure by impressing it with a stamp.
indefeasible - not able to be lost, annulled, or overturned.
indurate - harden.
ineluctable - unable to be resisted or avoided; inescapable.
inexculpate - not able to be cleared of alleged fault or guilt.
infrangible - unbreakable; inviolable.
innominate - not named or classified.
insouciance - casual lack of concern; indifference.
insouciant - showing a casual lack of concern; indifferent.
intaglio - 1. (noun) a design incised or engraved into a material. 2. (verb) engrave or represent by an engraving.
intransigence - the state or quality of being intransigent, or refusing to compromise or agree; inflexibility.
inure - 1. accustom (someone) to something, especially something unpleasant. 2. come into operation; take effect.
invidious - (of an action or situation) likely to arouse or incur resentment or anger in others.
irenic - 1. (adj.) aiming or aimed at peace. 2. (noun) a part of Christian theology concerned with reconciling different denominations and sects.
irrefragable - not able to be refuted or disproved; indisputable.
isolate - 1. (noun) a person or thing that has been or become isolated. 2. (verb) to cause (a person or place) to be or remain alone or apart from others.


J

jacaranda - a tropical American tree that has blue trumpet-shaped flowers, fernlike leaves, and fragrant timber.
jacinth - a reddish-orange gem variety of zircon.
jounce - jolt or bounce.
judder - (especially of something mechanical) shake and vibrate rapidly and with force.


K

keening - wail in grief for a dead person; sing a keen.
ken - 1. (noun) one's range of knowledge or sight. 2. (verb) know.
kin - one's family and relations.
kith - one's friends, acquaintances, and relations.
knaggy - full of or covered with gnarled knotty protuberances
knout - 1. (noun) (in imperial Russia) a whip used to inflict punishment, often causing death. 2. (verb) flog (someone) with a knout.
knur - a knot or protuberance on a tree trunk or root. (alternate of "knar")
kukris - a curved knife broadening toward the point, used by Gurkhas.


L

labile - liable to change; easily altered.
lacustrine - of, relating to, or associated with lakes.
lambent - (of light or fire) glowing, gleaming, or flickering with a soft radiance.
larch - a coniferous tree with bunches of deciduous bright green needles, found in cool regions of the northern hemisphere. It is grown for its tough timber and its resin (which yields turpentine).
lassitude - a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy.
latias - ???
lea - an open area of grassy or arable land.
leal - loyal and honest.
lealty - quality of loyalty and honesty.
lee - shelter from wind or weather given by a neighboring object, especially nearby land.
lenitive - 1. (adj.) (of a medicine) laxative. 2. (noun) laxative.
lief - as happily; as gladly.
limned - depicted or described (as if) in painting or words.
lithe - (especially of a person's body) thin, supple, and graceful.
littoral - 1. (noun) a region lying along a shore. 2. (adj.) of, relating to, or situated on the shore of the sea or a lake.
loam - a fertile soil of clay and sand containing humus.
lodestone - a piece of magnetite or other naturally magnetized mineral, able to be used as a magnet.
lope - run or ride with a steady, easy gait.
louring - frowning or scowling.
lucent - glowing with or giving off light.
lugubrious - looking or sounding sad and dismal.
luminance - the intensity of light emitted from a surface per unit area in a given direction.



M

macerate - 1. (especially with reference to food) soften or become softened by soaking in a liquid. 2. cause to grow thinner or waste away, especially by fasting.
malefic - causing or capable of causing harm or destruction, especially by supernatural means.
malison - a curse.
malpais - rough country underlain by dark especially basaltic lava; badlands.
mansuetude - meekness; gentleness.
marl - 1. (noun) an unconsolidated sedimentary rock or soil consisting of clay and lime, formerly used typically as fertilizer. 2. (verb) apply marl to.
marmoreal - made of or likened to marble.
masque - 1. a form of amateur dramatic entertainment, popular among the nobility in 16th- and 17th-century England, which consisted of dancing and acting performed by masked players. 2. variant spelling of “mask”.
mattock- an agricultural tool shaped like a pickax, with an adze and a chisel edge as the ends of the head.
medicament - a substance used for medical treatment.
mellifluous - (of a voice or words) sweet or musical; pleasant to hear.
mendacity - untruthfulness.
menhir - a tall upright stone of a kind erected in prehistoric times in western Europe.
mephitic - (especially of a gas or vapor) foul-smelling; noxious.
meretricious - 1. apparently attractive but having in reality no value or integrity. 2. of, relating to, or characteristic of a prostitute.
merte - ???
metatarsus - the group of bones in the foot, between the ankle and the toes.
midden - a dunghill or refuse heap.
mien - a person's look or manner, especially one of a particular kind indicating their character or mood.
mimosa - 1. an Australian acacia tree with delicate fernlike leaves and yellow flowers that are used by florists. 2. another name for the silk tree. 3. a plant of a genus that includes the sensitive plant.
mirkweed -???
moire - 1. (noun) silk fabric that has been subjected to heat and pressure rollers after weaving to give it a rippled appearance. 2. (adj.) (of silk) having a rippled, lustrous finish.
monody - 1. an ode sung by a single actor in a Greek tragedy. 2. a poem lamenting a person's death. 3. music with only one melodic line, especially an early Baroque style with one singer and continuo accompaniment.
moraine - a mass of rocks and sediment carried down and deposited by a glacier, typically as ridges at its edges or extremity.
mordant - 1. (adj.) (especially of humor) having or showing a sharp or critical quality; biting. 2. (noun) a substance, typically an inorganic oxide, that combines with a dye or stain and thereby fixes it in a material. 3. (verb) impregnate or treat (a fabric) with a mordant.
multifarious - many and of various types.
munificence - the quality or action of being lavishly generous; great generosity.
muricated - studded with short rough points.
mustang - an American feral horse, typically small and lightly built.


N

nacre - mother-of-pearl.
nacreous - possessing the qualities of, consisting of, or abounding in nacre; iridescent.
nitid - bright, lustrous.
niveous - snowy or resembling snow.
noisome - having an extremely offensive smell.
nonce - 1. (adj.) (of a word or expression) coined for or used on one occasion. 2. (noun) a person convicted of a sexual offense, especially child molesting.
numinous - having a strong religious or spiritual quality; indicating or suggesting the presence of a divinity.
nystagmus - rapid involuntary movements of the eyes.


O

obduracy - the quality or state of refusing to do what others want or of being unwilling to change.
obeisance - deferential respect.
objurgate - rebuke severely; scold.
objurgation - severe rebuking; scolding.
oblique - 1. neither parallel nor at a right angle to a specified or implied line; slanting. 2. denoting any case other than the nominative or vocative.
obliquely - 1. not in a direct way; indirectly. 2. in an oblique direction; slantwise.
obloquy - strong public criticism or verbal abuse.
ocher - an earthy pigment containing ferric oxide, typically with clay, varying from light yellow to brown or red. (alternate of "ochre")
ochre - an earthy pigment containing ferric oxide, typically with clay, varying from light yellow to brown or red. (alternate of "ocher")
oneiric - of or relating to dreams or dreaming.
opalescence - quality of showing varying colors as an opal does.
ordure - excrement; dung.
oriflamme - (in historical use) a scarlet banner or knight's standard.
orison - a prayer.
orogenic - of the formation of mountains, as by the folding of the earth’s crust.
orogeny - a process in which a section of the earth's crust is folded and deformed by lateral compression to form a mountain range.
otiose - serving no practical purpose or result.


P

paean - a song of praise or triumph.
paintbrush - a North American plant that bears brightly colored flowering spikes with a brushlike appearance.
palanquin - (in India and the East) a covered litter for one passenger, consisting of a large box carried on two horizontal poles by four or six bearers.
palliate - make (a disease or its symptoms) less severe or unpleasant without removing the cause.
palomino - a pale golden or tan-colored horse or pony with a white mane and tail, originally bred in the southwestern US.
panoply - a complete or impressive collection of things.
parapet - a low protective wall along the edge of a roof, bridge, or balcony.
paresis - a condition of muscular weakness caused by nerve damage or disease; partial paralysis.
paresthesia - an abnormal sensation, typically tingling or pricking (“pins and needles”), caused chiefly by pressure on or damage to peripheral nerves.
paroxysm - a sudden attack or violent expression of a particular emotion or activity.
particolored - having different colors in different areas of patches.
pasturage - land used for pasture.
peal - 1. (noun) a loud ringing of a bell or bells. 2. (noun) a loud repeated or reverberating sound of thunder or laughter. 3. (verb) (of a bell or bells) ring loudly or in a peal.
pediment - the triangular upper part of the front of a building in classical style, typically surmounting a portico of columns.
pellucid - translucently clear.
penumbra - the partially shaded outer region of the shadow cast by an opaque object.
percipience - good understanding of things; perceptiveness.
peremptory - (especially of a person's manner or actions) insisting on immediate attention or obedience, especially in a brusquely imperious way.
periapt - an item worn as a charm or amulet.
peroration - the concluding part of a speech, typically intended to inspire enthusiasm in the audience.
petulant - (of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered.
phalange - another term for phalanx (sense 2).
pinto - a piebald horse.
plash - 1. (noun) a sound produced by liquid striking something or being struck. 2. (verb) splash.
plinth - a heavy base supporting a statue or vase.
pommel - 1. (noun) a rounded knob on the end of the handle of a sword, dagger, or old-fashioned gun. 2. (noun) the upward curving or projecting part of a saddle in front of the rider. 3. (verb) another word for “pummel”.
preterite - 1. (adj.) expressing a past action or state. 2. (noun) a simple past tense or form. 3. (noun) the reprobated; the passed-over or passed-by.
prevaricate - speak or act in an evasive way.
promontory - a point of high land that juts out into a large body of water; a headland.
propinquity - 1. the state of being close to someone or something; proximity. 2. close kinship.
provender - food.
puerile - childishly silly and trivial.
pul - ???
purulent - consisting of, containing, or discharging pus.
pyrotic - 1. caustic; burining. 2. pertaining to heartburn.


Q

quag - a marshy or boggy place.
querulous - complaining in a petulant or whining manner.
quiescent - in a state or period of inactivity or dormancy.
quintessential - representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class.
quirt - 1. (noun) a short-handled riding whip with a braided leather lash. 2. (verb) hit with a quirt.


R

racer - 1. an animal or means of transportation bred or designed especially for racing. 2. a fast-moving, harmless, and typically slender-bodied snake. 3. a circular horizontal rail along which the carriage or traversing platform of a heavy gun moves.
rachitic - rickety.
raddle - a red pigment consisting of ocher (another term for “ruddle”).
ramify - form branches or offshoots; spread or branch out.
rampart - 1. (noun) a defensive wall of a castle or walled city, having a broad top with a walkway and typically a stone parapet. 2. (verb) fortify or surround with or as if with a rampart.
rapine - the violent seizure of someone's property.
recidivist - 1. (noun) a convicted criminal who reoffends, especially repeatedly. 2. (adj.) denoting a person who repeatedly reoffends.
recriminate - make counteraccusations.
rectitude - morally correct behavior or thinking; righteousness.
recursive - characterized by recurrence or repetition, in particular.
rede - 1. (noun) advice or counsel given by one person to another. 2. (verb) advise (someone). 3. (verb) interpret (a riddle or dream).
redolant - 1. strongly reminiscent or suggestive of (something). 2. fragrant or sweet-smelling.
redoubt - a temporary or supplementary fortification, typically square or polygonal and without flanking defenses.
refulgence - a radiant or resplendent quality or state; brilliance.
refulgent - shining brightly.
reimmure - re-enclose or re-confine (someone) against their will.
rerebrace - plate armor for the upper part of the arm.
rheum - a watery fluid that collects in or drips from the nose or eyes.
rill - a small stream.
rimose - having numerous clefts, cracks or fissures.
risible - such as to provoke laughter.
roan - 1. (adj.) denoting an animal, especially a horse or cow, having a coat of a main color thickly interspersed with hairs of another color, typically bay, chestnut, or black mixed with white. 2. (noun) an animal with a roan coat.
roborant - 1. (adj.) (chiefly of a medicine) having a strengthening effect. 2. (noun) a roborant medicine.
roil - 1. make (a liquid) turbid or muddy by disturbing the sediment. 2. another term for "rile".
roynish - mangey; scabby.
rue - 1. (verb) bitterly regret (something one has done or allowed to happen). 2. (noun) repentance; regret. 3. (noun) a perennial evergreen shrub with bitter strong-scented lobed leaves that are used in herbal medicine.
rugose - wrinkled; corrugated.


S


sabulous - 1. sandy; gritty. 2. (of plants) growing in sand.
saft - alternate form of “soft”.
sallow - 1. (adj.) (of a person's face or complexion) of an unhealthy yellow or pale brown color. 2. (noun) a willow tree, especially one of a low-growing or shrubby kind. 3. (noun) a moth with dull yellow, orange, and brown patterned wings. The larvae of some species feed on sallow catkins.
salubrious - health-giving; healthy.
samite - a rich silk fabric interwoven with gold and silver threads, used for dressmaking and decoration in the Middle Ages.
sapid - having a strong, pleasant taste.
sapient - wise, or attempting to appear wise.
sargasso - a mass of floating vegetation and especially sargassums.
sark - a shirt or chemise.
sastrugi - parallel wavelike ridges caused by winds on the surface of hard snow, especially in polar regions.
scantling - 1. a piece of lumber of small cross section. 2. a set of standard dimensions for parts of a structure, especially in shipbuilding. 3. a specimen, sample, or small amount of something.
scarp - 1. (noun) a very steep bank or slope; an escarpment. 2. (verb) cut or erode (a slope or hillside) so that it becomes steep, perpendicular, or precipitous.
scaur - alternate form of “scar”.
scend - 1. (noun) the push or surge created by a wave. 2. (verb) (of a vessel) pitch or surge up in a heavy sea.
schist - a coarse-grained metamorphic rock that consists of layers of different minerals and can be split into thin irregular plates.
scion - 1. a young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting. 2. a descendant of a notable family.
scoria - a cindery, vesicular basaltic lava, typically having a frothy texture.
scrannel - harsh; unmelodious.
scrog - a stunted shrub, bush or branch.
scry - foretell the future using a crystal ball or other reflective object or surface.
scurf - flakes on the surface of the skin that form as fresh skin develops below, occurring especially as dandruff.
sempiternal - eternal and unchanging; everlasting.
sendaline - a type of thin silk cloth.
sequacious - (of a person) lacking independence or originality of thought.
seriate - 1. (adj.) arranged or occurring in one or more series. 2. (verb) arrange (items) in a sequence according to prescribed criteria.
shied - (especially of a horse) started suddenly aside in fright at an object, noise, or movement.
sibilant - 1. (adj.) (of a speech sound) sounded with a hissing effect, for example s, sh. 2. (noun) a sibilant speech sound.
siccant - 1. (adj.) drying; removing moisture from surrounding substances. 2. (noun) a substance with drying, moisture removing properties.
sigil - an inscribed or painted symbol considered to have magical power.
simple - a medicinal herb, or a medicine made from one.
skein - a length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled and knotted.
skirl - 1. (noun) a shrill, wailing sound, especially that of bagpipes. 2. (verb) (of bagpipes) make a shrill, wailing sound.
skirling - making a shrill, wailing sound, especially as that of bagpipes.
slag - stony waste matter separated from metals during the smelting or refining of ore.
slaver - 1. saliva running from the mouth. 2. excessive or obsequious flattery.
snaffle - 1. (noun) (on a bridle) a simple bit, typically a jointed one, used with a single set of reins. 2. (verb) take (something) for oneself, typically quickly or without permission.
soilures - stains; smudges.
solance - ???
somnolence - the quality or state of being drowsy; sleepiness.
sopor - profound or lethargic sleep.
soporific - 1. (adj.) tending to induce drowsiness or sleep. 2. (noun) a drug or other agent that induces sleep.
sortilege - the practice of foretelling the future from a card or other item drawn at random from a collection.
sough - 1. (verb) (of the wind in trees, the sea, etc.) make a moaning, whistling, or rushing sound. 2. (noun) a moaning, whistling, or rushing sound as made by the wind in the trees or the sea.
spavined - 1. as of a disease of horses characterized by a bony swelling developed on the hock as the result of inflammation of the bones. 2. old, worn out, obsolete (said figuratively of a person).
spoor - 1. (noun) the track or scent of an animal. 2. (verb) follow the track or scent of (an animal or person).
spume - 1. (noun) froth or foam, especially that found on waves. 2. (verb) form or produce a mass of froth or foam.
stentorian - (of a person's voice) loud and powerful.
stentorianly - (of a person's voice) loudly and powerfully
steppe - a large area of flat unforested grassland in southeastern Europe or Siberia.
stertorous - (of breathing) noisy and labored.
stertorously - (of breathing) noisily and laboriously.
stillatory - 1. an alembic; a vessel for distillation. 2. still; distillery.
stipple - 1. (verb) (in drawing, painting, and engraving) mark (a surface) with numerous small dots or specks. 2. (noun) the process or technique of stippling a surface, or the effect so created.
stridulation - (of an insect, especially a male cricket or grasshopper) a shrill sound made by rubbing the legs, wings, or other parts of the body together.
strigil - an instrument with a curved blade used, especially by ancient Greeks and Romans, to scrape sweat and dirt from the skin in a hot-air bath or after exercise; a scraper.
strophe - the first section of an ancient Greek choral ode or of one division of it.
suasion - persuasion as opposed to force or compulsion.
supernal - of or relating to the sky or the heavens; celestial.
supine - 1. (of a person) lying face upward. 2. failing to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence.
suppurate - undergo the formation of pus; fester.
surcease - 1. (noun) cessation. 2. (verb) cease.
surfeit - 1. (noun) an excessive amount of something. 2. (verb) cause (someone) to desire no more of something as a result of having consumed or done it to excess.
surquedry - overweening pride; arrogance.
susurration - a whispering sound; murmur.
susurrus - whispering, murmuring, or rustling.
swale - a low or hollow place, especially a marshy depression between ridges.
synesthesia - the production of a sense impression relating to one sense or part of the body by stimulation of another sense or part of the body.


T

tabid - 1. wasting away; declining. 2. (of medicine) related to tabes.
taffrail - a rail and ornamentation around a ship's stern.
talus - 1. the large bone in the ankle that articulates with the tibia of the leg and the calcaneum and navicular bone of the foot. 2. a sloping mass of rock fragments at the foot of a cliff.
tantara - the blare of a trumpet or a horn.
tarsus - 1. a group of small bones between the main part of the hind limb and the metatarsus in terrestrial vertebrates. The seven bones of the human tarsus form the ankle and upper part of the foot. They are the talus, calcaneus, navicular, and cuboid and the three cuneiform bones. 2. a thin sheet of fibrous connective tissue that supports the edge of each eyelid.
tatterdemalion - a person dressed in ragged clothing.
tectonic - 1. of or relating to the structure of the earth's crust and the large-scale processes that take place within it. 2. of or relating to building or construction.
telic - (of an action or attitude) directed or tending to a definite end.
telid - ???
tenebrous - dark; shadowy or obscure.
tersity - the quality of being brief and direct in a way that may seem rude or unfriendly.
theriac - an ointment or other medicinal compound used as an antidote to snake venom or other poison.
thermocline - a steep temperature gradient in a body of water such as a lake, marked by a layer above and below which the water is at different temperatures.
thetic - 1. dogmatic 2. constituting or beginning with a poetic thesis.
threnody - a lament.
thrum - 1. (noun) a continuous rhythmic humming sound. 2. (verb) make a continuous rhythmic humming sound. 3. (noun) (in weaving) an unwoven end of a warp thread, or a fringe of such ends, left in the loom when the finished cloth is cut away. 4. (verb) cover or adorn (cloth or clothing) with ends of thread.
timorous - showing or suffering from nervousness, fear, or a lack of confidence.
tintinnabulation - a ringing or tinkling sound.
tocsin - an alarm bell or signal.
tor - a hill or rocky peak.
torc - a neck ornament consisting of a band of twisted metal, worn especially by the ancient Gauls and Britons.
tourmaline - a typically black or blackish mineral that occurs as prismatic crystals in granitic and other rocks. It consists of a boron aluminosilicate and has pyroelectric and piezoelectric properties.
travertine - white or light-colored calcareous rock deposited from mineral springs, used in building.
trenchant - 1. vigorous or incisive in expression or style. 2. (of a weapon or tool) having a sharp edge.
truculent - eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant.
truncheon - 1. a cudgel; a bludgeon. 2. the shattered shaft of a spear.
tumid - 1. (especially of a part of the body) swollen. 2. (especially of language or literary style) pompous or bombastic.
turgid - swollen and distended or congested.


U

umber - 1. a natural pigment resembling but darker than ocher, normally dark yellowish-brown in color ( raw umber ) or dark brown when roasted ( burnt umber ). 2. a brownish-gray moth with coloring that resembles tree bark.
unambergrised - adjective-form of the opposite of the noun, "ambergris".
unassoiled - unabsolved; unacquitted.
unction - 1. the action of anointing someone with oil or ointment as a religious rite or as a symbol of investiture as a monarch. 2. treatment with a medicinal oil or ointment. 3. a manner of expression arising or apparently arising from deep emotion, especially as intended to flatter.
unhermeneuticable - uninterpretable.


V

vambrace - a piece of armor for the arm, especially the forearm.
of, in, or appropriate to spring. - of, in, or appropriate to spring.
verdant - (of countryside) green with grass or other rich vegetation.
verdure - lush green vegetation.
vermillion - a brilliant red pigment made from mercury sulfide (cinnabar).
vernal - of, in, or appropriate to spring. - of, in, or appropriate to spring.
vertiginous - causing vertigo, especially by being extremely high or steep.
vesicle - a fluid- or air-filled cavity or sac, in particular.
vesture - clothing; dress.
viga - a rough-hewn roof timber or rafter, especially in an adobe building.
virtu - knowledge of or expertise in the fine arts.
viscid - glutinous; sticky.
vitiate - spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of.
vizard - a mask or disguise.
vlei - 1. a marshy depression in which water collects in the wet season, especially one that feeds a stream; a temporary lake. 2. a marsh.
vouchsafe - give or grant (something) to (someone) in a gracious or condescending manner.


W

wattle - 1. (noun) a material for making fences, walls, etc., consisting of rods or stakes interlaced with twigs or branches. 2. (noun) an acacia. 3. (verb) make, enclose, or fill up with wattle. 4. (noun) a colored fleshy lobe hanging from the head or neck of domestic chickens, turkeys, and some other birds.
weal - 1. that which is best for someone or something. 2. a red, swollen mark left on flesh by a blow or pressure.
weir - a low dam built across a river to raise the level of water upstream or regulate its flow.
whicker - 1. (noun) a snigger; a soft, breathy whinny. 2. (noun) move with a sound as of something hurtling through or beating the air. 3. (verb) utter a half-suppressed laugh; snigger; titter. 4. (verb) move with a sound as of something hurtling through or beating the air.
wonted - habitual; usual.
writhen - 1. twisted or contorted out of normal shape or form. 2. (of antique glass or silver) having spirally twisted ornamentation.
wroth - angry.
wry - 1. using or expressing dry, especially mocking, humor. 2. (of a person's face or features) twisted into an expression of disgust, disappointment, or annoyance.

[Menolly]

You may wish to check out Donaldson's Obscure Words to see if either thread missed any.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

You may wish to check out Donaldson's Obscure Words to see if either thread missed any.

Ack! I looked for a thread like that before I started this project, searching for Glossary, Dictionary, Terms, etc. — but not Words.

I also figured that such a thread would be stickied.

[wayfriend]

You should also google Stephen R Donaldson Ate My Dictionary.

Great idea but alas not novel. Great minds think alike and still that.

I don't think anyone has a complete compendium that is up to date with the Last Chronicles though.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Okay, this thread has been cross-referenced and updated with the other thread ( Donaldson's Obscure Words ).

——————————————

I don't think anyone has a complete compendium that is up to date with the Last Chronicles though.

FTR, and though I assume that you realized this, I compiled my list from the LCs.

——————————————

You should also google Stephen R Donaldson Ate My Dictionary.

I'd seen that before, a number of years ago, but I'd forgotten about it. I also remember the list seeming to be much smaller. I would be good to combine them, although I didn't think to record pagination for quoting/reference purposes when I was compilng my list.