I started playing with a story of mine that, not exaggerating, I haven’t looked at in nearly 10 years! Although I do plan on sharing it with you at some point… see, it needs a sequel, and I realized while working on it that I don’t enjoy novels, I prefer novellas!
Anyway, I was going through it to start working on adjusting it to be more consistent with the stories I’ve been writing more recently and I had this w.t.f. moment. This word that I didn’t remember, didn’t recognize and certainly haven’t used again – and spellcheck actually liked it! (I have frequent arguments with spellcheck – and about 9 times out of 10, I actually win.)
Upon looking up this word, I realized that although rather archaic, it is a good word and works well where I put it. Following this, I decided that I should seek out more strange words and share them with you!
(Image from Pixabay)
First word – meretricious
According to Dictionary.com:
[mer-i-TRISH-uh s]
adjective meaning:
- alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions; tawdry.
- based on pretense, deception, or insincerity.
- pertaining to or characteristic of a prostitute.
I love how the illustrative this adjective is giving the simultaneous overtones of cheap and pushy – not someone you’d like to be seen with in either case.
I my writing, I use the adverb form in the following sentence:
“Even the aisles were bustling with vendors meretriciously selling overpriced refreshments and tacky souvenirs." (from my novel Akurey.)
Second Word – dilettante
According to Vocabulary.com, where I found this gem:
[DILL-uh-tahnt]
- noun: An amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge
- adjective: Showing frivolous or superficial interest; amateurish
I love this word – how it sounds so elegant, yet is hardly a nice word at all! It speaks lovingly of pretentiousness and arrogance where skill is not found. The dilettante is a the lover who pretends to be rich and important, when all he really is is a poser whose new car was borrowed from a good friend for the day – just for the purpose of seduction. (I do write romance, after all!)
Although I have yet to use this word in my writing, I may change that soon because I have a villain who has given many the impression of being only a dilettante, which allows him to become far more dangerous behind this façade. (Another word I must instruct spellcheck on – see, it’s another French word – and in French, the "c" followed by a, o or u makes the hard "k" sound - as in English. But in French, you then soften the "c" again by using the “cédille” (ç) – so my spelling is a correct one.)
Third word - célébrité
I’m still arguing with spellcheck and now the dictionary about this one because I know I’ve heard it outside of French… probably in England, where bits and pieces of French have been adopted into common use – despite the fact that most Brits can’t put together two words of French that they didn’t learn for their GCSE (an important school exam for younger teens.)
célébrité
(sell-eh-brih-TAY)
my definition…
- noun: The state or quality of being famous.
In my writing, I mention:
"She was not yet accustomed to sharing the célébrité enjoyed by the chief." (from my novel Akurey.)
I maintain that the connotation of this word is significantly different from the word celebrity, which apparently can be used very much like the noun I just described. I just don’t think it sounds as good as the French, so I will keep using the French.
So. There. Dictionary!
Lori Svensen – A'mara Books
(Banner by @shai-hulud) | Join here
nice post, meretricious: my new favourite word!
It does sound cool, doesn't it?!
Thanks for the visit.
Your Post Has Been Featured on @Resteemable!
Feature any Steemit post using resteemit.com!
How It Works:
1. Take Any Steemit URL
2. Erase
https://3. Type
reGet Featured Instantly & Featured Posts are voted every 2.4hrs
Join the Curation Team Here | Vote Resteemable for Witness
@resteemator is a new bot casting votes for its followers. Follow @resteemator and vote this comment to increase your chance to be voted in the future!
Dilettante I like that. Basically me at every sport.
Thanks for the visit. I like the word too, but I'm glad it doesn't normally describe me.
You only need a cédille before a, o or u since e, i and y preceded by c is necessarily soft. Don’t worry I may not be about french but I’m often such a dilettante.
I stand well-corrected on that one, but it's still required in the word façade in order to make the c soft.
I have corrected the post to reflect this fact. Thanks for your attention.
@viking-venture - You have meretriciously lured me to this post knowing my weakness for attractive new words! (I hope that works or I fear I may have harmed your character)
hahaha - I only decided to do this post on the spur-of-the-moment thinking about the cool words I'd used on this story years ago - and had forgotten them again! Time to expand the vocabulaire again. (Maybe even without French, lol.)