Lexemes from Left Field: A Selection of Uncommon, Obscure and Archaic “E” Words

Words beginning with the letter “E” can be positive and affirmative—energetic, empathetic, etc—but they can also exclude, excise and excommunicate. Here’s some fairly unorthodox, non-mainstream “E” words you possibly have not encountered before.

Eccendentesiast: an insincere person who fakes a smile [L. ecce (“I present to you’) + -dentes (“teeth”) + -iast (“performer”)]

Ecdysiast:  a striptease artist; erotic dancer [Gk. ekdysis (“a stripping or casting off”). Coined 1940 by HL Mencken] 

Gypsy Rose Lee, famous US ecdysiast 

Ectomorph: a person with a lean and delicate build of body; also can refer to someone with an introverted, thoughtful personality [Gk. ecto (“outside”, “external”) + -derm (“skin”) + -morphē (“form”; “shape”). Coined 1940 by WH Sheldon]

Eleemosynary: relating to or depending on charity; charitable [Gk. eleos (“mercy”; “pity”; “compassion”; (pertaining to alms)]

Encomium: a speech or piece of writing which praise someone or something highly (cf. eulogy) [Gk. en (“within”) + -komos (“revel”)

Endomorph: a person with a heavy, rounded (big-boned) build of body;d[Gk. endon (“in”; “within”) + -morphē (WH Sheldon 1940)

Endonym: (also known as Autonym) the native name for a national group, an individual, geographical place, language or dialect; used inside a particular group or linguistic community for self-identification [Gk. endon (“within) + -ónoma (“name”)]

Ennad: any group of nine; orig. a group of 9 deities in Egyptian mythology [Gk. ennea (the number 9)] 

Epeolatry: the worship of words [Gk. epos (“word”) + -latry (“worship”)

Epigamic: attractive to the opposite sex, esp in zoological context [Gk. epi (“upon”; “on”; “near”) + gamus (“wedding”; “marriage”)

Epistolographer: a writer of epistles (elegant, formal didactic letters); a letter writer (Gk. epistellein (“send news”) + -graphe (“write”)✍️📝

Ergatocracy: rule by the workers (Gk. ergátēs (“workman”) + –crazy 

Source: libcom.org

Excoriate: to denounce or berate severely; verbally flay; to strip or remove the skin (Gk. ex (“out”) + -coríum (“skin”; “hide”)

Excursus: a diversion or digression in a book from the main subject which involves a detailed side-discussion [L. excurrere (“run out”)]

Exonym: (also known as Xenonym) the non-native name for a national group, an individual, geographical place, language or dialect [Gk. exo (“outside) + -ónoma (“name”)]; eg, the exonym for Deutschland (Germany) in Spanish is Alemania

Expiscate: to find out thru scrupulous examination or detailed investigation; fish out (something) (usage Scot.) [L. expicatus from Gk. ex (“out”) + -piscari (“to fish”)] 🎣 🐠 

Lexemes from Left Field: A Selection of Uncommon, Obscure and Archaic “F” Words

 Sixth letter in the alphabet is F, F for frank and F for frivolous, a letter for all seasons. 

Farraginous: consisting of a confusing mixture, orig. of grains for cattle feed (cf. Farrago); jumbled; messy; heterogenous [L. far “spelt” (ie, grain)]

Favonian: pertaining to the west wind (esp mild, gentle) [L. fovēre “to warm”]. cf. Zephyr.

Flâneur: a man who saunters around observing society; a stroller (fem: approx comparable to Flaneuse). [Old Norse. flana (“to wander with no purpose)]

Flâneur Source: PIEZA DEL PINTOR FRANCÉS GUSTAVE CAILLEBOTTE//GETTY IMAGES

Flexiloquent: speaking evasively or ambiguously [L. flexibilis (“that may be bent”) + -loquēns (“speaking”; “talking”)]

Florilegium: an anthology esp excerpts of a larger work; collection of flowers [L. flos (“flower” +-legere (“to gather”)]

Frotteur: a person who derives sexual gratification—Frottage—thru contact with the clothed body of another person in a crowd [Fr. frotter (“to rub”)]

Funambulist/Funambulator: a tightrope walker; an acrobat who performs balancing acts on a taut, horizontal rope (also known as an Equilibrist [L. funis (“rope”) + -ambulare (“to walk”)] 

Funambulist Philippe Petit, 1974 (photo: Alan Welner/AP)

Futilitarian: a person devoted to futile pursuits; one who believes that human striving is futile [(19th neologism, a portmanteau word formed from blending “futile” and “utilitarian”]

Fysigunkus: a person devoid of curiosity [Scot. Eng, (19th. origin unknown]

Lexemes from Left Field: A Selection of Uncommon, Obscure and Archaic “D” Words

 

Word	Meaning	Derivation
Dactylogram	fingerprint	Gk Daktylos (“finger”) + -gramma (“that which is written/drawn”)
Daedalist	aviator; pilot Roman mosaic of Daedalus	Gk from Didalos, L Daedalus (“skilfully wrought”)
Dapifer	one who brings meat to the table	origin unknown
Defenestration	throw someone through a window; remove or dismiss someone from a position of authority	L de “down from” + fenestra (“window”) The Defenestration of 1618
Deipnosophist	learned amateur	Gk deipnon (“dinner”) + sophistēs (“knowledgeable in the arts” (from Athenaeus's ‘Deipnosophistaí’)
Depontification	throw someone off a bridge	L de + pons (“bridge), der. from ling. pattern of defenestration
Didascalar	Didactic; pertaining to teaching	origin unknown
Diddicoy	caravan-living travellers pursuing a gypsy-like lifestyle (Brit.)	origin unknown
Diestrus	a period of sexual inactivity	New L dia + estrus from Gk Oistros (“gadfly”, “sting”)
Digladiator	swordfighter	origin unknown
Dithyrambic	wildly irregular in form	Gk dithyrambos (unknown, pre-Hellenic?)
Diversiloquent	able to speak on different topics; in different ways	L diversi (“diversus”) + loquēns (“to speak”)
Docent	an academic immediately below the professorial rank; a voluntary guide at a museum, zoo or art gallery	L docēns (“to teach”)
Doctiloquent	speaking learnedly	L from doceō (“I teach”) + loquēns (“to speak”)
Domatologist	professional housekeeper	origin unknown
Dontopedology	science of putting your foot in your mouth	Gk odoús (“tooth”) + pes (“foot”) + -logos (“word”)
Douanier	customs official	origin unknown
Doulocracy	rule by slaves Spartacus: slave army commander	Gk doûlos (“servant”, “slave”) + -kratéō (“rule)
Doxastic	of, pertaining to or depending on opinion; conjectural	Gk doxasía (“belief”, “opinion”, “conviction”)
Dragoman	interpreter, translator and guide	Gk dragumanus from Arab targuman (“interpreter”)
Dulciloquent	speaking is a sweet, pleasant and agreeable way	L dulcis (“sweet”) + loquēns (“to speak”)
Durative	describing an action that is continuing, incomplete; transforming	L durare (“to harden”)
Dysania	Difficult to wake up in the morning	origin unknown
Dyschromatopic	colour-blind	Gk dys (“bad”) + chroma (“colour”) + ops (“eye”)
Dysphemism	using an offensive word in the place of an inoffensive one	Gk dys (“bad”) + pheme “speech”, voice”)
Dysteloology	doctrine of purposelessness; existence lacks a design purpose	Gk dys (“bad”) + télos (“end”, “purpose”, “goal”) + -logos
ADDENDUM
Decussate	when two or more things cross or intersect each other to form an X; shaped like an X	L decussātus (“divide crosswise”; “mark with a cross”) from decem (“ten”) + as
Demivierge	someone actively sexually promiscuous while technically remaining a virgin	Fr (lit. “half virgin”) from L virgo