Build Your Vocabulary!

**INTJoe** · 12-07-2007, 04:48 PM

Not sure if I should post this here, or in Work and Education, but anyway, since we are INTJ's, and therefore, perfectionists who are always trying to learn and understand things, I think we should have an ongoing thread for building our collective vocabulary. I've seen several posts around here lately with vocabulary as the topic.

So, without further ado, feel free to post a word, or a series of words along with their definitions. These may be words you already know, or words you are just learning, but the goal is for each of us to expand our horizon. Bonus if you list a word that is commonly mis-used in speech. I'll start with three words. All definitions as per Dictionary.com.

PENULTIMATE (adj.)
next to the last: the penultimate scene of the play.
*This word is commonly mis-used to mean "REALLY ULTIMATE!!!"

ONUS (noun)
blame or responsibility: we put the onus on the supervisor regarding the office renovation.

BOORISH (adj.)
of or like a boor; unmannered; crude; insensitive: the woman was boorish; she was not welcome here.

**logan235711** · 12-07-2007, 10:03 PM

I think I'm a bit more of of etymologist, wondering what connotation certain words such as onus possess and why and how throughout history. It's great fun to see people use words in completely different contexts than was intended or understood and watch the language evolve before your eyes--not merely slang or popular words, but even basic one's such as time or house etc.

It might be a long-shot, but maybe when you post up words you can paste the etymology too? That would add a great deal of insight : )

**Hypomanic** · 12-08-2007, 12:36 AM

My favorite word is 'respectively' which means sequentially.

It's also the favorite word of the person who wrote my Calculus book.

**chocky** · 12-08-2007, 03:15 AM

I love words, and reading the dictionary for fun.

I have an old Oxford dictionary, and here the best obscure word from the first page I just opened: coacervation (n.) Heaping together, pile.

Hmm... as in "The INTP had several coacervations of dusty books in the corner of his room." mayhaps?

**HarleyQuinn** · 12-08-2007, 08:02 AM

Hmm... Credit the Oxford English Dictionary (
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).

Carniferous - Flesh-bearing.

Efface - To rub out, obliterate (writing, painted or sculptured figures, a mark or stain) from the surface of anything, so as to leave no distinct traces.

Solecism - An impropriety or irregularity in speech or diction; a violation of the rules of grammar or syntax; properly, a faulty concord.

Subterfuge - An artifice or device to which a person resorts in order to escape the force of an argument, to avoid condemnation or censure, or to justify his conduct; an evasion or shift. Chiefly of discourse, argument, debate, but also of action in general.

Jezebel · 12-08-2007, 10:48 AM

Removed the replies that had nothing to do with the intent of the original post. Please don't post unconstructive/fluff post conversations in the Work & Education subforum. Save it for the Lounge subforum. Thanks.

Edit: Also moved the Free Rice quiz + result posts
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. It was worthy of its own thread.

12-07-2007, 04:48 PM	#1
INTJoe Veteran Member [75%] MBTI: INTj Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 3,009	Not sure if I should post this here, or in Work and Education, but anyway, since we are INTJ's, and therefore, perfectionists who are always trying to learn and understand things, I think we should have an ongoing thread for building our collective vocabulary. I've seen several posts around here lately with vocabulary as the topic. So, without further ado, feel free to post a word, or a series of words along with their definitions. These may be words you already know, or words you are just learning, but the goal is for each of us to expand our horizon. Bonus if you list a word that is commonly mis-used in speech. I'll start with three words. All definitions as per Dictionary.com. PENULTIMATE (adj.) next to the last: the penultimate scene of the play. *This word is commonly mis-used to mean "REALLY ULTIMATE!!!" ONUS (noun) blame or responsibility: we put the onus on the supervisor regarding the office renovation. BOORISH (adj.) of or like a boor; unmannered; crude; insensitive: the woman was boorish; she was not welcome here.
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12-07-2007, 10:03 PM	#2
logan235711 Banned MBTI: NTFJ Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 204	I think I'm a bit more of of etymologist, wondering what connotation certain words such as onus possess and why and how throughout history. It's great fun to see people use words in completely different contexts than was intended or understood and watch the language evolve before your eyes--not merely slang or popular words, but even basic one's such as time or house etc. It might be a long-shot, but maybe when you post up words you can paste the etymology too? That would add a great deal of insight : )
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12-08-2007, 12:36 AM	#3
Hypomanic Member [04%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 187	My favorite word is 'respectively' which means sequentially. It's also the favorite word of the person who wrote my Calculus book.
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12-08-2007, 03:15 AM	#4
chocky Member [04%] MBTI: INTP Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 183	I love words, and reading the dictionary for fun. I have an old Oxford dictionary, and here the best obscure word from the first page I just opened: coacervation (n.) Heaping together, pile. Hmm... as in "The INTP had several coacervations of dusty books in the corner of his room." mayhaps?
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12-08-2007, 08:02 AM	#5
HarleyQuinn Member [08%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 332	Hmm... Credit the Oxford English Dictionary ( To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. ). Carniferous - Flesh-bearing. Efface - To rub out, obliterate (writing, painted or sculptured figures, a mark or stain) from the surface of anything, so as to leave no distinct traces. Solecism - An impropriety or irregularity in speech or diction; a violation of the rules of grammar or syntax; properly, a faulty concord. Subterfuge - An artifice or device to which a person resorts in order to escape the force of an argument, to avoid condemnation or censure, or to justify his conduct; an evasion or shift. Chiefly of discourse, argument, debate, but also of action in general. Last edited by Jezebel; 12-08-2007 at 02:17 PM. Reason: moved rice quiz score to the new rice quiz thread
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12-08-2007, 10:48 AM	#6
Jezebel Administrator MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4,278	Removed the replies that had nothing to do with the intent of the original post. Please don't post unconstructive/fluff post conversations in the Work & Education subforum. Save it for the Lounge subforum. Thanks. Edit: Also moved the Free Rice quiz + result posts To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. . It was worthy of its own thread.
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