New Word #45: The Fascinating “K” And “KY”

I’ve always been fascinated with words ending with “k” and “ky”. There are a lot of them and each is sonorous, spontaneous, slang like, and vivid in the description of what it is supposed to describe. And it is no surprise that I can remember each one of them after just one encounter and never forget. It is true that there is not one boring word among them, each is interesting. Here are only a few. Let me know if you have any “k” word you really like.

funk and funky

This pair is used very often. People just love this pair, for reasons I don’t understand.

funk: a state of depression. (North America) People like to say, “get out of the funk”.

funky: (of music) having or using a strong dance rhythm, in particular that of funk.

freak and freaky

This pair is used very often too, even more often than the previous pair.

freak: a very unusual and unexpected event or situation; a person, animal, or plant with an unusual physical abnormality.

freaky: frightening, weird, strange

quirk and quirky

This pair is used very often. I guess it is to replace the word eccentric.

quirk: a peculiar behavioral habit.

quirky: characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits.

quack and quacky

It is not used so often, but it has a regular occurrence.

quack: It is supposed to mean a duck’s crying sound, but more often it is used to refer to a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to skill, knowledge, or qualifications he or she does not possess.

quacky: This may not be a valid word.

spunk and spunky

This pair is used very often. And I love this pair the best. I’ve met spunky persons and really love them, especially if it is a spunky women. I often dream of women becoming more spunky as time goes on. As a person growing up in a conservative and no-talking environment, my own spunk is largely subdued or squeezed out of existence.

spunk: courage and determination.

spunky: courageous and determined.

squeak and squeaky

This pair is used very often too.

squeak: The informal meaning “succeed in achieving something by a very narrow margin”. The formal meaning “a short, high-pitched sound or cry”.

squeaky: If you say that someone is squeaky clean, you mean that they live a very moral life and have never done anything wrong.

sneak and sneaky

This pair is used very often.

sneak: move or go in a furtive or stealthy manner.

sneaky: furtive; sly.

sneaker: a soft shoe with a rubber sole worn for sports or casual occasions. (North America)

gawk and gawky

Gawk is used very often on motorists who slow down their cars to gawk if there’s an accident.

gawk: stare openly and stupidly; an awkward or shy person.

gawky: nervously awkward and ungainly.

gunk and gunky

This pair is used very often. I can even feel the meaning when I type it.

gunk: an unpleasantly sticky or messy substance.

gunky: unpleasantly sticky or messy.

tweak and tweaky

Tweak is often used when you try to fit something with something else–you need to tweak a little.

tweak: twist or pull (something) sharply. The informal meaning: improve (a mechanism or system) by making fine adjustments to it.

tweaky: 1 : thin, nervous, twitchy. 2 : acid, biting, sharp.

crank and cranky

This pair is used very often too.

crank: turn the crankshaft of (an internal combustion engine) in order to start the engine.

cranky: 1. (North America) ill-tempered; irritable; 2. (of a machine) working badly; shaky.

chunk and chunky

Very often used.

chunk: a thick, solid piece of something.

chunky: bulky and solid.