Beautiful words
Words that are a pleasure to say and mean something lovely: the warmth of the sun in winter, the whisper of wind through leaves, a glow that flickers softly. Each one comes with how to say it and a sentence to use it in.
serendipity
sair-uhn-DIP-ih-tee, noun
The occurrence of happy or beneficial events by chance.
“It was pure serendipity that the two founders shared a delayed flight.”
wistful
WIST-fuhl, adjective
Full of gentle, thoughtful longing.
“He went wistful at the smell of his grandmother’s spice cabinet.”
diaphanous
dahy-AF-uh-nuhs, adjective
Light, delicate, and translucent.
“Diaphanous curtains turned the noon sun to milk.”
ephemeral
ih-FEM-er-uhl, adjective
Lasting for a very short time.
“Internet fame is ephemeral; last month’s sensation is already forgotten.”
evanescent
ev-uh-NES-uhnt, adjective
Quickly fading from sight or memory.
“Fame online is evanescent; screenshots are forever.”
halcyon
HAL-see-uhn, adjective
Blissfully calm and prosperous, especially of a remembered past.
“He talks of the halcyon summers before the highway came.”
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ineffable
in-EF-uh-buhl, adjective
Too great or extreme to be expressed in words.
“Standing at the canyon rim, she felt an ineffable mix of awe and smallness.”
mellifluous
muh-LIF-loo-uhs, adjective
Sweet or musical in sound; pleasant to hear.
“The narrator’s mellifluous voice could make a phone book sound like poetry.”
apricity
uh-PRIS-ih-tee, noun
The warmth of the sun in winter.
“The cat found the one square of apricity on the kitchen floor.”
aubade
oh-BAHD, noun
A song or poem greeting the dawn.
“The garbage truck performs its aubade at five sharp.”
coruscate
KOR-uh-skayt, verb
To flash and sparkle with light.
“Frost coruscated on the windshield in the parking-lot lights.”
crepuscular
kri-PUS-kyuh-ler, adjective
Relating to twilight; active at dusk.
“Rabbits are crepuscular, which explains the empty noon garden.”
effulgent
ih-FUHL-juhnt, adjective
Shining brilliantly; radiant.
“The valley turned effulgent for ten minutes at dusk.”
empyrean
em-py-REE-uhn, noun
The highest heaven; the vault of the sky.
“From the fire tower the whole empyrean seemed within reach.”
lambent
LAM-buhnt, adjective
Glowing softly; flickering lightly over a surface.
“Lambent candlelight forgave every flaw in the plaster.”
numinous
NOO-mih-nuhs, adjective
Having a strong spiritual or mysterious quality.
“The empty cathedral held a numinous quiet.”
oneiric
oh-NY-rik, adjective
Of or resembling dreams.
“Jet lag gave the airport an oneiric shimmer at 4 a.m.”
pellucid
puh-LOO-sid, adjective
Transparently clear, in water or in prose.
“Her pellucid summary ended a month of confusion in one paragraph.”
propinquity
proh-PING-kwih-tee, noun
Nearness in place, time, or relationship.
“Office friendships run on propinquity and a shared printer.”
psithurism
SITH-yuh-riz-uhm, noun
The whispering sound of wind through leaves.
“The campsite’s only soundtrack was psithurism and one loud owl.”
sempiternal
sem-pih-TUR-nuhl, adjective
Everlasting; of endless duration.
“The DMV line has a sempiternal quality unaffected by clocks.”
susurrus
soo-SUR-uhs, noun
A soft whispering or rustling sound.
“A susurrus of turning pages filled the reading room.”
tintinnabulation
tin-tih-nab-yuh-LAY-shuhn, noun
The ringing or jingling of bells.
“December’s soundtrack: carols, registers, and tintinnabulation.”
vespertine
VES-per-tyn, adjective
Of, occurring in, or active in the evening.
“The vespertine dog-walkers own the park after seven.”
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