New Word #29: Recently Learned

ESL, vocabulary 1 Minute

Image by Comfreak from Pixabay

chortle: laugh in a breathy, gleeful way; chuckle.
The word is from Clayjonz’s post here.

gyration: a rapid movement in a circle or spiral; a whirling motion.
skanky: dirty and unpleasant.
This is from Bonnywood’s post here.

bumptious: self-assertive or proud to an irritating degree.
This is from Pooja’s post here.

typology: a classification according to general type, especially in archaeology, psychology, or the social sciences. Please don’t confuse this word with topology, which is a branch of science.
This is from Gwen’s post here.

traipse: walk or move wearily or reluctantly.
crampons: a metal plate with spikes fixed to a boot for walking on ice or rock climbing. Actually I have always thought those spikes may have a name since they look quite distinct, and now I know.
This is from Colinmcqueen’s post here.

mendicant: given to begging
This is from Shammi Paranjape’s post here.

pyrotechnic: relating to fireworks. Pyrotechnics, on the other hand, is a noun and means a fireworks display.
pastiche: an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period.
These words are from Rachel’s post here.

schtick: a gimmick, comic routine, style of performance, etc. associated with a particular person.
This is from mikepowernyc’s post here.

I’ve also read words like schmooze (to chat up a person in order to gain some kind of benefit) and schmuck (a person who is obnoxious).

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30 thoughts on “New Word #29: Recently Learned”

        1. I have wondered about that for a while. For example, the word “spiel” sometimes considered German, sometimes Yiddish, and probably coming from both. LOL.

          Liked by 2 people

        2. Sorry to interrupt the conversation but I learnt about this in one of my history courses and wanted to chime in with some information. Yiddish has a lot of similarities to German because as mentioned it’s a mix of German and Hebrew. A chunk of it is actually just German in Hebrew. When Jewish people first migrated to Europe and in particular Germany they were the “outsiders” and they thought that speaking the same or at least a similar language would help them assimilate with the host society which is where historically Yiddish stemmed from.

          Liked by 1 person

        3. Thank you for the clarification. That’s just so fascinating. I know somebody’s kid attending Stuyvesant High School in NYC, who selects Yiddish as his foreign language. His immigrant parents just can’t understand his choice since he is of Korean descent. So what? Why can’t a Korean learn Yiddish?

          Liked by 1 person

        4. Yup Korean can learn Yiddish for sure. My very Indian mother is currently trying to learn Korean and I’m trying to learn German- languages are meant for everyone not just a specific group of people.

          Liked by 1 person

        6. Yeah for sure. One of my favourite parts of learning a new and totally different language is that you learn really specific words sometimes that you don’t have in your own language and you’re just like wow.

          Liked by 1 person

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