Four wordfoolery books by Grace TIerney on the shelf - Words Christmas Gave Us (red), Words the Vikings Gave Us (green), Words the Sea Gave Us (blue), How to Get Your Name in the Dictionary - eponyms (Orange).

My #mysteryword month is now complete. In the meantime, if you relish unusual words you might dip into my #etymology Wordfoolery Blog (www.wordfoolery.wordpress.com/), my books (wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/), or my monthly newsletter (subscribepage.io/wordfoolerywhispers).

Happy February!

joblijocks. Morning disturbance, for example by a small child. 1700s. Yorkshire dialect.

#mysteryword Day 31 - joblijocks
Morning disturbance, for example by a small child.
1700s. Yorkshire dialect. #etymology

blutterbunged. Confounded by disgust or joy. Lincolnshire dialect.

#mysteryword Day 30 - blutterbunged.
Confounded by disgust or joy.
Lincolnshire dialect. #etymology

shoogly. Unsteady or wobbly. Scots.

#mysteryword Day 29 - shoogly.
Unsteady or wobbly.
Scots.

betwattled. Confused. 1600s English dialect. From twattle (gossip).

#mysteryword Day 28 - betwattled.
Confused.
1600s English dialect. From twattle (gossip). #etymology

To glaver. To flatter. From Saxon gliwan (flatter).

#mysteryword Day 27 - to glaver.
To flatter. From Saxon gliwan (flatter).
#etymology

Ferlie. Wonderful or marvellous. Scots. From Old Norse ferligr (dreadful).

#mysteryword Day 26 - Ferlie.
Wonderful or marvellous.
Scots. From Old Norse ferligr (dreadful). #etymology

perissology. The use of more words than necessary. From the Greek for superfluous.

#mysteryword day 25 - perissology.
The use of more words than necessary.
From the Greek for superfluous. #etymology

badkruka - a cowardly bather - one who lowers themself slowly into cold water. This is a Swedish word - bada (bathe) and kruka (coward).

#mysteryword day 24 - badkruka
a cowardly bather - one who lowers themself slowly into cold water.
This is a Swedish word - bada (bathe) and kruka (coward).
#etymology

drotchel - A lazy person. 1700s, Scots. Possibly from dretch - a verb used by Chaucer meaning to idle.

#mysteryword Day 23 - drotchel
A lazy person. 1700s, Scots.
Possibly from dretch - a verb used by Chaucer meaning to idle.
#etymology

exsibilate - to hiss a poor actor off the stage. From Latin.

#mysteryword Day 22 - exsibilate - to hiss a poor actor off the stage. From Latin.

Seems an appropriate word for the day the Oscar nominations are released, no hissing for them I'm sure.

gulosity - Gluttony. From Latin gulosus.

#mysteryword Day 21 - gulosity #etymology
Gluttony.
From Latin gulosus.

Eedle-doddle. A carefree day-dreamer. Scots. Possibly from idle and dawdle.

#mysteryword Day 20 - eedle-doddle
A carefree day-dreamer.
Scots. Possibly from idle and dawdle.
#etymology #words

The Comedy Roots of Throttlebottom Hello This week’s word, throttlebottom, is one of my Mystery Words this month. Check out #mysteryword on Bluesky and Facebook to collect them throughout January 2026. A few merit deeper exploration…

#mysteryword Day 19 - throttlebottom - an incompetent person in public office. From a character in a 1930s musical comedy.
#etymology
Explored in more detail in my blog this week at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2026/01/19/t...

awumbuk. The emptiness felt after loved ones leave. From the Baining people of Papua New Guinea.

#mysteryword Day 18 - awumbuk. The emptiness felt after loved ones leave. From the Baining people of Papua New Guinea.

Not an English word, but an important one I think. #words

coxcomical. Foppish or conceited. 1700s slang, from coxcomb.

#mysteryword Day 17 - coxcomical.
Foppish or conceited.
1700s slang, from coxcomb. #etymology #insults

Collieshangie - a loud commotion. Scots. Possibly from collie (dog) and shangie (leash).

#mysteryword Day 16
Collieshangie - a loud commotion.
Scots.
Possibly from collie (dog) and shangie (leash).
#etymology

unasinous - united in stupidity. 1650s. From Latin unw (one) and asinus (ass).

#mysteryword Day 15 - unasinous - united in stupidity. 1650s. From Latin unw (one) and asinus (ass).
#etymology

to arsle - to go backwards. Dialect, from arse (oers in Old English)

#mysteryword Day 14 - to arsle - to go backwards. Dialect, from arse (oers in Old English).

#etymology

To conjobble - to discuss. 1700s slang from con (together) and jobbernol (head).

#mysteryword Day 13 - to conjobble - to discuss.
1700s slang from con (together) and jobbernol (head).

#etymology #wordnerd

The Greek Comedy Roots of Accismus Hello, This week’s word, accismus, is rarely used in modern written English and hence is one of my Mystery Words this month. See #mysteryword on Bluesky, Twitter, and Facebook to collect them throu…

#mysteryword Day 12 - accismus - the urge to refuse something you really want. 1500s. From Greek akkismos (shyness).

This one goes back to a Greek play 2400 years ago - read all about it in this week's blog - wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2026/01/12/t...

mubble fubbles - sense of dread on a Sunday evening or at the end of a holiday. 1600s. Origin unknown.

#mysteryword Day 11 - mubble fubbles

The sense of dread on a Sunday evening, or at the end of a holiday.

1600s. Origin unknown.

antipelargy - The love between child and parents. From Greek pelargos (stork) because it was famed for love and loyalty.

#mysteryword Day 10 - antipelargy
The love between child and parents.

From Greek pelargos (stork) because it was famed for love and loyalty. #etymology

The Wordfoolery doll - wooden puppet with jester costume - ready to play with words every day

Happy #NationalWordNerdDay to my #etymology friends and word enthusiasts everywhere. I hope you enjoy dictionaries, puns, and obscure definitions today!
If you need more wordy fun try my books (see bio), blog (wordfoolery.wordpress.com), or follow #mysteryword each day this month.

circumforaneous - wandering from house to house. From Latin.

#mysteryword Day 9 - circumforaneous - wandering from house to house. From Latin. #etymology

Handy for Halloween, carol-singers, posties (mailmen), and those people who try to get you to change utility provider.

#mysteryword Day 8 - bumbaleerie - backside. Scots, jocular slang.

#mysteryword Day 8
bumbaleerie - backside. Scots, jocular slang.
#etymology
I love this one, waiting to slip it casually into conversation.

rogitate. To make frequent requests. From Latin rogare (to ask).

#mysteryword day 7 - rogitate
To make frequent requests. From Latin rogare (to ask).
A word for parents of toddlers. #etymology

agelast - a person who never laughs. 1600s. From Greek a (without) and gelastos (laughter).

#mysteryword day 6 - agelast - a person who never laughs. 1600s. From Greek a (without) and gelastos (laughter).
#etymology

Also happy #NollaignamBan (Irish Women's Christmas) to you all!

Caddis - fluff, especially the fluff that lurks under your bed. Northeastern Scots.

#mysteryword Day 5

Caddis - fluff, especially the fluff that lurks under your bed. Northeastern Scots.

(plenty in my house!)

#mysteryword Days 3 & 4 (offline yesterday) #etymology
Baffies - slippers (Scots), and Goozlins - intestines, 1800s.
Wouldn't want to get those two mixed up.