awkWord of the week

We hope that this blog will serve all of your awkward word needs.  Some benign words sound like other, more edgy words (vagitus), some define things that are inherently awkward (smegma), and others just sound or make one feel awkward (moist).  Feel free to make suggestions to help make this a more authoritative guide to awkwords.

vagitus, n. 

Etymology:  Latin for crying

-  the cry of a newborn baby

The serenity of the manor scene was pierced by the strident vagitus of the holy child.

 

smegma, n.

Pronunciation:  \ˈsmeg-mə\

Etymology:  New Latin, from Latin, detergent, soap, from Greek smēgma, from smēchein to wash off, clean

Date:  circa 1819

- the secretion of a sebaceous gland; specifically : the cheesy sebaceous matter that collects between the glans penis and the foreskin or around the clitoris and labia minora

Some have sought to justify circumcision by virtue of its reduction of smegma aggregation; others remain more skeptical.

moist, adj. 

Pronunciation: \ˈmȯist\

Etymology: Middle English moiste, from Anglo-French, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *muscidus, alteration of Latin mucidusslimy, from mucus nasal mucus

Date: 14th century

1 : slightly or moderately wet
2 a : marked by a discharge or exudation of liquid <moist eczema> b : suggestive of the presence of liquid — used of sounds heard in auscultation <moist rales>

She blushed for she was left moist by the warm tropical showers and the humid breath of the rain-forest.

 

cunctation, n.

Procrastination; delay.

He was irked by her shameless cunctation.

penetralia, n. pl.

Pronunciation: \ˌpe-nə-ˈtrā-lē-ə\

Etymology: Latin, neuter plural of penetralis inner, frompenetrare to penetrate

Date: 1668

The speech inspired and moved him, down to his penetralia.