Falling in Love With Rare English Words (And Why They Matter)
English is a wonderfully strange language. Just when you think you know it well, you stumble upon a word so specific, so oddly perfect, that it feels like discovering a secret passage inside a familiar house.
Recently, I came across a collection of extremely specific English words, many of which I had never encountered before. Some describe emotions we all feel but rarely name. Others capture physical sensations, habits, or human quirks with startling precision. Together, they remind me that language is not just about communication, it’s about recognition.
Here are a few rare English words that stood out to me, and why they deserve a moment in the spotlight.
Words for Feelings We All Know
One of the most comforting discoveries is realizing that something you’ve felt has a name.
Apricity is the warmth of the sun on your skin during winter. Not summer heat, but that gentle, reassuring glow on a cold day. If you’ve ever paused outside just to feel that warmth, now you know its name.
Limerence describes an obsessive romantic infatuation, the kind where thoughts circle endlessly around another person. It’s not quite love, not just attraction, but that intense emotional fixation many of us experience at least once in life.
Hiraeth is a beautiful and bittersweet word: a deep homesickness for a home that may no longer exist or perhaps never did. For immigrants, travelers, or anyone shaped by displacement and memory, this word often resonates deeply.
Velleity refers to a slight wish without the effort to act on it. We all have them: I should learn a new language… I should write that book… Thoughts that float through the mind without ever becoming plans.
Words That Capture Human Behavior
Some rare words feel uncomfortably accurate.
Ultracrepidarian describes someone who confidently gives opinions beyond their actual knowledge. In the age of social media, this word feels more relevant than ever.
Snollygoster refers to a shrewd, unprincipled person, often used historically for dishonest politicians. It’s an old word, but its meaning feels timeless.
Mumpsimus is the stubborn adherence to a belief even after it has been proven wrong. We’ve all encountered this, sometimes in others, sometimes in ourselves.
Lalochezia, surprisingly, means emotional relief through swearing. It turns out there’s a linguistic explanation for why a well-timed curse word can feel so satisfying.
Words for Sensations and Everyday Oddities
Some words exist simply to name very specific experiences.
Petrichor is the smell of the earth after rain, a scent that can instantly transport us to childhood or calm us without explanation.
Formication is the sensation of insects crawling on the skin, even when nothing is there. It sounds poetic, but it’s deeply unsettling.
Tittle refers to the tiny dot above the letters i and j. Small, easily overlooked, yet important much like many details in life.
Glabella is the smooth space between the eyebrows. Once you know the word, you can’t un-know it.
Why Rare Words Still Matter
Some people argue that rare words are unnecessary or pretentious. I disagree.
Words like these don’t complicate language, they clarify experience. They give shape to feelings, behaviors, and sensations we already know but struggle to explain. They remind us that human experience is nuanced, layered, and worthy of precision.
You may never casually drop ultracrepidarian into conversation, but knowing it exists can sharpen your awareness of the world. And sometimes, simply recognizing a feeling, That’s hiraeth. That’s velleity. That’s apricity-is a small but meaningful comfort.
Language evolves, but it also preserves. These rare words are linguistic fossils and living tools at the same time, waiting for the right moment to be rediscovered.
And perhaps that’s the real joy of English: no matter how long you’ve lived with it, it can still surprise you.
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