The power of a word. The more we know, the better we think.
The beauty of a word. The more eloquent we are, the more influence we wield.
The emotion of a word. The better we communicate, the more charisma we exude.
Words.
Shakespeare made love to them.
Emerson crafted them.
Dante emoted them.
Here are a few of my favorite words:
Extraordinary
Quintessential
Evocative
Muse
Transcendent
Sacramental
Sensual
Visceral
Question: What is your favorite word?
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33 responses to “These Are A Few Of My Favorite Words”
Sesquipedalian
I may be silly, but words like “Zimbabwe”, “Buttafuoco, & “chimichanga” just tickle my tongue. Sometimes I think News anchors report some stories more than others because they love saying the names, honestly. I would.
Thank you for this post. I too love words. Their communicative value is an incomparable treasure. For me, one of my favorite words is simply, “friend”.
@Joan Linbeck, well said, Joan!!
Paradigm
@Jeff Goins, ah, yes, jeff…great word!!
Words I love more for the connotations than how they sound
Passion
Purpose
Potential
Meaning
Create
and the one I love to hear the most…
Daddy!
@Andrew, Ah, yes!! What a word…intimidating and treasured at the same time…Daddy!
I love words, including beautiful words with yucky meanings, like diarrhea. And sometimes I like to throw out unusual words in a sentence, just for fun: gelatinous, sesquipedalian.
@Jeedoo, i truly think this is the first time I have ever seen the phrase “beautiful words with yucky meanings.” wow!! I must think this through a bit more… :)
Serendipity
Facetious
Curvaceous
Synergy
Harmony
and just because I like the way it looks: syzygy
@Carryl, Ah, yes…If you have seen my paintings, you know I love your “c” word!! :)
relevant
unconditional
the f word
absolute
exacerbate
palindrome
@Jason, jason, i must ask…the f word as in the phrase, the f word as in the american word, or the f word as in Ireland?
@Randy Elrod,
Wow! I didn’t know about the f word in Ireland! You’ll have to tell me about that.
I’m talking about the American rated “R” F-word. Such a sharp, powerful, bright and colorful word in our culture, unfortunately grossly overused and abused, but still one of my favorites.
Musical examples-
USE: Mumford & Sons’ use of it in “Little Lion Man” or Alanis Moressette’s use of it in “You Oughta Know”- no other word so adequately and succinctly presents the emotional context of the moment this song is describing.
ABUSE: many songs that use it for a syllable space filler when they need to match the lyric up to a certain point in the meter of the song.
My favorite word is “chesed” (I hope Hebrew counts).
@JR Taylor, ah, to the dictionary again. How you guys taunt me!!!
Some of my favorite words include Muster, Gumption, Gusto, and of course the adjective Randy. (The noun isn’t so shabby either)
Have you ever read the book Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester? It is a great story about the compilation of the OED. As one with an admiration for all things words and language, I really enjoyed it and recommend it.
@Tiffany, Yes, Tiffany, I love that book!! And I find myselg giggling as I think about the noun and adjective which are my name…hmmmm…
Serendipity, ambient, kudzu, harmony, ethereal and enchantment (because of Thomas Moore not Guy Kawasaki) are among my favorites.
I must admit that, given I have two sons, fart remains a favorite, fun, funny, “forbidden” word in the Jennings house.
@Keith Jennings, Ha!!!!!!! When you have girls, I think the forbidden word is fart with the “r” removed. As in, “do I look_____ in this dress? Ha!!!
By the way, ethereal and enchantment are two words I love, but I must ask you??? Kudzu??? :)
@Randy Elrod, Oh, those f-words!
Yes, I love the word kudzu. Fun to say – sounds like a sneeze. Second, I find it fascinating that a Japanese plant is a staple of the American South.
But even more, I love it as a metaphor of the Old South. It’s an immigrant that choked out native species. Was once seen as a savior. And is now categorized as a weed.
Also, kudzu works like a Rorschach test: some project their fear into it – imagining snakes lurking beneath its surface. Others, like me, see it as an invitation to adventure – a childhood Neverland.
Love this post, Randy. I have long been a love and collector of words. A few of my faves are…
flibbertyjibbet
lackadaisical
persnickety
blythe
supercilious
wanderlust
oxymoron
effervescent
crinkum-crankum
renaissance
I could go on, but I don’t think you have that much time on your hands. :-)
@Margaret, Love it Margaret!! You have sent me running to dictionary.com
I share your love for the words wanderlust, oxymoron and renaissance!!
Grace, Effervescent, Lackadaisical, Languid, Iridescent, Plethora, Anomaly, Golf (makes me laugh–what a weird word)
@Kay Day, Thanks, Kay…ah, I love all your words!! Especially plethora!!
I’ve found myself using the word “Brilliant” all the time for just about anything.
@David Santistevan, David, you would find yourself in good company with Keith Getty!
@Randy Elrod, I’m a big fan of Keith’s writing. Would be an honor. He’s brilliant! :)
Cab (yep, makes me giggle; a checkered-careening butter pat on wheels), lyrical, plethora, spondylolistheis (just kidding, I hate it when my back hurts) Popsicle ( hard to say without smiling), labyrinth, y’all, scrumptious, whimsical, wonder, loquacious, and almost all food words like “let’s eat!” ;-)
@Patsy, Ah, yes, Patsy, you are such a magical wordsmith. And I love,love,love whimsical, labyrinth, and I wonder if the “wonder” you mention is as in magic, or questioning…
Cogent. :)
@Anita, Thanks for getting right to the point, Anita!! Ha!