ONIOCHALASIA(OWN-EEO-CHAR-LAZIER)n. You know it as retail
therapy, but the official term is ‘oniochalasia’ – shopping as a method
of stress relief and relaxation. It’s the reason your bank account
mysteriously empties whenever the pressure in your life begins to
build. Important deadline? Of course you need those cake-scented
candles. Going through a break-up? Go on, enjoy that big-screen TV.
PSITHURISM(SITH-UR-IZM)n. Borrowed from the Greeks, this
poetic term describes the sound of leaves rustling as the wind
blows through the trees. Whisper it and you might notice there’s
a hint of onomatopoeia at play. It’s also ideal for slipping into love
letters, should you be on a starry-eyed mission to woo a sweetheart.
BALTER(BOL-TER)v. If you’ve ever attended an office Christmas
party, you’d no doubt have witnessed some good old-fashioned
baltering, aka dancing artlessly, without particular grace or skill,
but usually with much enjoyment. Elaine Benes is the baltering
poster girl – think awkward jerking, head thrown back, and eyes
squeezed tight in a state of jig-induced euphoria.PETRICHOR(PE-TRICK-OR)n. This is a relatively recent word, coined
in 1964 by two Australian CSIRO boffins. You might use it when
admiring the scent of rain in the air – especially when it’s just fallen
on parched, dry ground. Basically, it’s the smell of a cool change
having arrived, and is typically accompanied by relief, joy, happy
tears and an enthusiastic rain dance.BORBORYGMUS(BORE-BORE-IG-MUS) n. Ever sat in a quiet
room full of people, when your stomach decides to awkwardly
break the silence with an almighty gurgle? That audible rumble
coming from within has a name: a borborygmus. It’s caused by
the movement of gas in your belly, and, presumably, is designed
to make us blush in public.DUFFIFIE(DUFF-IF-EE) v. Thrifty types may bond over the word
‘duffifie’, meaning ‘to lay a bottle on its side for some time so that it
may be completely drained of the few drops left inside’. Appropriate
for inching out the final dregs of shampoo, laundry detergent and,
given its Scottish origins, malted whisky.
GRIFFONAGE(GRIFF-ON-IDGE) n. We can only assume this term
has widespread usage within the medical community. It describes
handwriting that is careless or illegible – in other words, your
doctor’s tricky-to-read scrawl. The type that makes you squint till
your head hurts, and wonder whether you’ve been diagnosed with
gout or some sort of mysterious gut issue.
DYSANIA(DIS-AYN-IA) n. Also known as ‘clinomania’, this word is
one of the most relatable of the bunch: it refers to the gruelling
struggle that often comes with getting out of bed in the morning.
Occasions of dysania are most commonly experienced when your
alarm goes off at an ungodly hour; it’s still dark outside; and the
temperature beyond your doona cocoon is much frostier than within.
SPHALLOLALIA(SFAL-O-LAY-LEA) n. Dating apps are a breeding
ground for sphallolalia: flirtatious talk that winds up leading nowhere.
Relevant to those occasions where not even your best puns, banter
or innuendo can save your chat from an inevitable fizzle, and the
knowledge that you will never meet this potential beau IRL.FINIFUGAL(FIN-EE-FYOO-GAL) adj. Do you hold off on reading the
final chapter of a book, because you can’t stand the thought of it
being over? Maybe you avoid ending a relationship, even if it’s clearly
a bit worse for wear. Sounds like you’re finifugal, or ‘someone
who hates endings’. In which case, you might want to reread this
sentence again and again (and again, and again).stop and smell
the petrichor
A FEW NEW WORDS TO SLIP
INTO YOUR DAILY CHINWAG.
Wor d s Sophie Kalagaslearn something new