Like many writers, I have a passion for words.  I love the mouthfeel of certain words. The way the word settles on the lips and tongue.  Hippopotamus are my favourite creatures because I love the way the word feels in my mouth, – all lip tingling and mouth round, ending with a sibilant hiss.

I’ve mentioned before that I volunteer phoning older people, isolated in the community. (Again, I don’t just randomly call people, they request the service, even if they don’t always request someone like me.)

My favourite caller, a lady in her late 90s was always a reader. With her memory fading, reading is no longer in her world and the books that she read are lost in time. With stories whose threads are untangling, but still a passion for words, searching out the origins of the weird and wonderful is one of our favourite pastimes.

On the phone, iPad in hand, I research words, often spelling my discoveries down the phone when she can’t hear.

I thought this week that I’d share some of our words.

Cockalorum – noun, early 18^th century. A man who has a high opinion of himself.

Much comparing notes on our histories with self-important men, who felt their opinions required sharing.

Snout-fair – adjective mid-1500s Good looking or attractive.

I’m not sure how this works, but if someone called me snout-fair I’d be liable to give them a smack in the gob.

Elflock– noun, late 1580s hair tangled in the night. Hair tangled by Elves or fairies.

Curglaff noun and verb  Scots 1800s That shocked feeling when you plunge into cold water.

Callipygian  adjective early 19^th century  From the Greek Kallos, meaning beauty and the Greek Puge meaning buttocks, Callipygian – to have well-shaped buttocks

Fudgel adjective early 19^th century To pretend to work when you are not actually doing anything. Rather like writing this blog.

Brabble noun, early 1600s To squabble or bicker – much like the mister and me.

Acerbic adjective, early-mid 19^th century From the Latin acerbus, meaning sour tasting. Speaking sharply, forthright, sarcastic.

Holmgang noun, Old Norse  A debate, duel or confrontation.

Fopdoodle noun, Eary 19th century A stupid person or fool.

I will leave you to make up sentences with our newly discovered words. I shall be here, all elflocked and snout-fair, fudgelling along in my own brabbling way, gunning for a holmgang with some bleedin’ internet fopdoodle.  Probably best not to mention my acerbic tone or callipygian behind.

*Funnily enough there is no word to describe a woman who has a high opinion of herself.