Cabal / noun / ca·bal If you’ve ever suspected that secret groups exist for the sole purpose of achieving power, you’re already thinking about a cabal. A cabal is a secret or conspiratorial group that is seeking to overthrow the government or use political power for its own ends. Members of cabals conspire together to

Cryptozoology / noun / krip-tow-zoo-aa-luh-jee Cryptozoology is the study of and search for the existence of creatures that are suspected to be real, but there is no substantial evidence to prove that they actually exist. Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster are popular creatures studied by cryptozoologists. In a Sentence One of the most popular

Quinze/noun/quin-ze The word quinze is a noun that refers to a 17th-century French card game with Spanish origins. It is an “ace-low” game, where the goal of the players is to reach 15 points to win. Quinze is also “fifteen” in French. Etymology The word quinze originates from the Middle English word quince meaning “a

Susurration/noun/sus-sur-ra-tion The word susurration is a noun that refers to a humming or whispering sound. A susurration can also be a continuous buzzing noise or “white noise” meant to help drown out other sounds. Etymology The word susurration has Latin origins but is a term that comes from late Middle English. The late Middle English

Anachronistic / adjective / anach·ro·nis·tic An anachronistic term is one that is used in a time period that it was not meant to be used in. For example, we might say someone is wearing anachronistic clothing because it doesn’t match the style of the era they are living in. Anachronistic denotes things, people and situations

Riffraff / noun / riff · raff If you’ve ever been walking down a dark street, saw a group of questionable people meandering around the street and felt the need to cross to the other side – you were probably looking at riffraff. The word riffraff is a slang term we use for someone or

Rickrack / noun / rick·rack Rickrack is a braided trim in a zigzag pattern used as decoration on clothing. Before the prevalence of sewing machines, rickrack provided a finished edge to clothing. It was extremely popular because it was sturdy and withstood frequent washings. In a Sentence I saw a really cool rickrack at the

Quixotic/adjective/kwuhk-saa-tuhk Quixotic is an adjective that describes something that’s exceedingly idealistic, unrealistic and impractical. In A Sentence In The Adventures of Merlin, Merlin always has quixotic solutions to Prince Arthur´s problems, which inspire Arthur with plausible solutions; this is what builds their bond so completely and makes them such wholesome characters. If you don’t have

Kaput / adjective / ka·put English speakers use the word kaput to describe ultimate and often unpleasant endings. Something that has “gone kaput” has reached its end, is no longer functional, and there is no hope for repair. We can also use the word kaput as a verb meaning to break, smash, or destroy completely.

Ephemeral / Adjective / ephem·er·al The word ephemeral is an adjective that usually refers to something that is temporary or fleeting. For example, a plant that grows, flowers, and dies within only a few days is considered ephemeral. The term applies to anything that is short-lived or only lasts for a small period of time.