As far as arcane English words go, which is your favorite?

[Deja Q]

I like "piffle". :D There are others, I just can't remember 'em right now... :-(

[arcane1]

1. "arcane"

:silly:

[bain_sidhe]

2. fettle

Because I'm so often in fine fettle!

[Tom_Foolery]

3. Mater n/t

[dolo amber]

4. Fie!

And I don't even know if it's pronounced "f-ee" or "f-eye"!! :D

[DAGDA56]

5. Crumudgeon...also ersatz for arcane German words...

NT

[SlavesandBulldozers]

6. wharf

incongrous

[rumguy]

7. nary

[Zero Gravitas]

8. futtock

[NightTrain]

9. Snollygoster

Main Entry: snol·ly·gos·ter
Pronunciation: 'snä-lE-"gäs-t&r
Function: noun
Etymology: probably alteration of snallygaster a mythical creature that preys on poultry and children
: a shrewd unprincipled person

[arwalden]

10. miscreant and cretin

[skooooo]

11. "yonder"

My grandma used to tell me to go get her something that was "in yonder", and it took me a long time to figure out that "yonder" was not the name of any particular room or place. Man I was confused for a while (this was when I was 5 or 6 years old).

[KittyWampus]

12. Sackbutt

it's an instrument.

[Briarius]

13. Whence!

:evilgrin:

[jimshoes]

14. Blackguard, Jackanapes

foppish

[Wapsie B]

15. Antidisestablishmentarianism

Not the meaning, just the sound of it.

definition: political philosophy that is opposed to the separation of church and state

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

26. Is that what it means? so that would make *

an antidisestablishmetarian?

I wonder if he knows that?

[Wapsie B]

28. I don't think his brain

would compute multi-syllabic words.

[DrWeird]

16. bugbears, bugaboos, and beasties.

nt

[WillyBrandt]

17. Antipope, antepenulatimate

[JohnLocke]

18. Obsequies and penuiry.

Mean 'funeral rites/ceremonies' & 'poverty,' respectively.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

19. Methinks

[Caution]

20. Onomatopoeia

My favorite word.

[chaska]

21. Reprobate and libertine

[PartyPooper]

22. Whilst

It's still standard in the UK and elsewhere...but, not in the U.S.

I simply love that word!

:D

[Teddy_Salad]

38. Hallelujah!

I cannot believe I just saw "whilst" here.
You've made my day!

I use "whilst" all the time and when I first came to the US, people would give me a strange look and ask what I was saying.
I was shocked to learn that it is infrequently if not ever used here.

Also, what would be the proper situation to use "whilst" instead of "while", if there is one?

[chaska]

23. piffle

[pagerbear]

24. Drat!

....for when I find myself in a bloody palaver.

[soothsayer]

25. flummoxed

[Gildor Inglorion]

27. "fard" verb, transitive...

"to apply cosmetics." "Please excuse me, dear. I must go to the ladies' room to fard."

[Triple H]

29. caliginous

Main Entry: ca·lig·i·nous
Pronunciation: k&-'li-j&-n&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle French or Latin; Middle French caligineux, from Latin caliginosus, from caligin-, caligo darkness
: MISTY, DARK

[moof]

30. irregardless

[mitchum]

31. cunte

[GregW]

32. Popinjay ... * definitely is one!

pop·in·jay
n.
A vain, talkative person.

[GregW]

33. Barratry

bar·ra·try
n. pl. bar·ra·tries
1. The offense of persistently instigating lawsuits, typically groundless ones.
2. An unlawful breach of duty on the part of a ship's master or crew resulting in injury to the ship's owner.
3. Sale or purchase of positions in church or state.

[Crenulated_Schist]

34. Blimey

:)

[Guy_Montag]

42. That's my favourite exclamaition!

But then I refer to radios are wirelesses & Britain as Blighty.

Toodle pip

[Feanorcurufinwe]

35. verily

[Teddy_Salad]

36. Poignant

Poignant is a great word.

I love the way one must 'purse' ones lips to sound the first syllable but then abruptly stop and reverse the action for the second.

Poignancy, even better.

[VelmaD]

37. kerfluffle...

bloviate, and smarmy. :)

[Rocinante]

39. Erudite

[chaska]

40. hornswoggle, consarn, dagnabit

[LastKnight]

41. nuncle. nt

[NewHampshireDem]

43. "surfeit"

penury

nice--meaning "trivial"

ere

All from Shakespeare.

And, from Beowulf, "thole."

[wickerwoman]

44. sesquepedalian?

[Dan-W]

45. Disingenuous.

I'm not sure of what I'm talking about. I think I am, but I'm not really sure, you know? I'm just being honest here. I don't mean to lie.

[displacedtexan]

46. bereft, slender, dole

bereft- totally lacking

slender- very little

dole- money

[tsakshaug]

47. word of the day

http://wordsmith.org/awad/index.html
neat site.
sign up to get a new word in your email every day

[non sociopath skin]

48. Not strictly speaking an English word ...

... but I like "persiflage"

The Skin

[achtung_circus]

49. Girth, Forsooth

This isn't a direct quote but the sense is there.

At the end of time England will not be remembered for it's faults, of which there are many, or it's achievements which are legion, but for the rules for FA soccer and the expression "F*uck Off".

[jukes]

50. defenestrate

an arcane assault.