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Weird Word Wednesdays: Kenspeckle, xerarch and zaftig

For today’s Weird Word Wednesday, let’s look at three words which I recently included in Pamela’s Prompts: kenspeckle, xerarch and zaftig.

Yesterday, we explored writing an abecedarius where you use every letter of the alphabet so your poem will be only a 26-word poem. You can’t add any words!

I’m certainly no poet, but here is my abecedarius about a Western Meadowlark:

A bird —

colorful, delicate, emblematic, foraging.

Grasslands high,

insects jampacked, kenspeckle —

lissome meadowlark

nesting, omnivorous, Panhandle, quintessential.

Raucously sings — Texas unabased

v-shaped, warbling, zerarch yellow zaftig.

Here’s what www.merriam-webster (unabridged edition) says about these weird words:

kenspeckle

Pronunciation: [ ˈkenzˌpekəl ]

Part of speech: Adjective

Definition:  Having a distinctive appearance. Language origin: Scandinavian and Norse

“Kenspeckle.” Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/kenspeckle. Accessed 6 Feb. 2022.

xerarch

Pronunciation: [  ˈziˌrärk, ˈzēˌr- ]

Part of speech: Adjective

Definition: Developing in a dry place.

Language origin: Unknown

“Xerarch.” Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/xerarch. Accessed 6 Feb. 2022.

zaftig

Pronunciation: [ ˈzäf-tig ]

Part of speech: Adjective

Definition: Pleasingly plump.

Language origin: Yiddish, Middle High German, Old High German

“Zaftig.” Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/zaftig. Accessed 6 Feb. 2022.

Posted in Pamela, Pamela, Weird Word Wednesdays