Doohickey or doohickies are words that some people use to refer to everyday items that they don’t know the real names of or can’t remember their names of at that moment. And it's easy to forget some of these interesting words that describe phenomenons that you've definitely witnessed in everyday life. But with approximately one million English words, it’s safe to say that every object has a name. So, anyone wondering what the plastic end of a shoelace or the last loop on their belt is called, will benefit from this list of fascinating and unknown words.
Barm
Barm is a synonym for the foam that forms on top of beer or the froth that forms on top of fermenting malt liquor. Because the yeast transforms the sugars in the malt into carbon dioxide, which in turn causes bubbles in the liquid to interact with the sugar in the beer, barm is produced as a byproduct of this process. However, it is also possible for it to form in wine or feedstock.
Scroop
The swooshing sound that is made by the movement of silk or other types of fabric that are similar on a dress such as a ballgown is referred to as a scroop. It is commonly referred to as a sound that resembles a creak, scrape, rustle, or a rasping. In addition to being present in wine and feedstock, this one-of-a-kind sound can also be found in textiles.
Agraffe
When removing the wrapping from a bottle of champagne, many people are irritated by the presence of a wire cage known as an agraffe or muselet. The agraffe, on the other hand, makes certain that the cork stays in the bottle until it is time for everyone to drink.
Zugzwang
Have you ever felt like it didn't matter what move you made while playing a game of chess, checkers, or even Monopoly, you were going to come out on the losing end? The term for this kind of predicament is called a Zugzwang. Another meaning of the word is a precarious circumstance in day-to-day life that leaves one with the impression that there is absolutely no way out of it.
Punt
Take a bottle of wine and turn it upside down. What do you see? It's quite a deep crease. The term for that indentation is called a punt. It is also known as a dimple or a kick-up, and its purpose was to assist the bottle in standing straight when it was first designed. Additionally, it was developed to strengthen the bottle so that it could withstand the high pressure that is present in champagne.
Ferrule
A ferrule is a type of bracelet that is utilized for the purpose of providing additional support to a tube or pole that would otherwise be at risk of cracking or coming apart. The word is also used to refer to the metal fastener that is found on pencils and prevents the eraser from falling off of the pencil.
Scandiknavery
Scandiknavery is an uncommon and informal uncountable word that is used to describe a person who is from Scandinavia and is dishonest or duplicitous. It was one of many words that Irish author James Joyce introduced to the English language in the 20th century. However, it is not a word that people from Scandinavia would find particularly appealing.
Aglets
The majority of people have come across the plastic tubes that are attached to the ends of shoelaces, but they are clueless as to what they are called. Aglets is the correct term for these types of sheaths, if you must know. Plastic is the most common material used in their construction, but metal is also sometimes used.
Arachibutyrophobia
The term "arachibutyrophobia" is constructed from three Greek words. One of them is called arachi, which literally means "ground nut." The second word is butyr, which can be translated as butter, and the third word is phobia, which refers to the feeling of being afraid. In its most basic sense, the term "peanut butter phobia" refers to the anxiety that arises from the prospect of choking on peanut butter or of having peanut butter become stuck to the roof of the mouth.
Googleganger
A perfect double of another individual is referred to as a doppelganger. The term "Googleganger" is a play on the word "doppelganger." However, in this context, "identical twin" refers to a person who shares the same name as the one conducting the Google search but is significantly more well-known on the internet.
Pentheraphobia
There are some husbands who believe that their wives' mothers are among the most terrifying creatures on the planet. And for very compelling reasons. Some mothers believe that their child will never find anyone who can live up to their expectations. (I know, it's scary!) One of the reasons why some husbands suffer from pentheraphobia, also known as a fear of their mother-in-law, is because of situations like this.
Lawn Mullet
The term "lawn mullet" refers to a front yard that has been meticulously maintained, but the back yard has been left in a terrible state of disrepair. The grass, in essence, has a mullet cut, with the front being cut shorter than the back and vice versa, just like regular hair.
Peladophobia
The fear of losing one's hair and going bald is referred to as peladophobia. This fear is most common in individuals who have noticed the first signs of thinning hair or balding. It is also used to describe an irrational dread of people who are bald.
Aphthongs
Aphthongs are letters in words that do not produce a sound, such as the letter k in the word "knight," the letter w in the word "answer," the letter g in the word "sign," or the letter t in the word "castle." Therefore, despite the fact that these silent words are necessary for spelling a word, they do not produce any sound.
Rhinotillexomania
It may be hard to believe, but picking one's nose is a recognized form of mental illness that affects a significant number of children as well as some adolescents and young adults. The condition is known as rhinotillexomania in the medical field, and it does not pose any health risks. However, it has the potential to disrupt the individual's social life.
Semordnilap
Semordnilap are words that have one meaning when they are pronounced or spelled forward, but have an entirely different meaning when they are pronounced or spelled backward. Some examples include being stressed and eating desserts, having a dog and believing in god, or having maps and receiving spam.
Niddick
The nape, also known as the back of the neck, is referred to as the niddick. This word can also be used to refer to the top of the head or the back of the head. The physician Thomas Phaer is credited with making the first known use of the term sometime in the 16th century.
Palindromes
There are a great number of books that are solely focused on palindromes. But can you tell me more about them? It refers to words or phrases that can be read either forwards or backwards depending on their context. Words such as "racecar," "dad," and "level" are examples of palindromes, as are phrases such as "a nut for a jar of tuna.”
Philtrum
The groove, junction, or fold of skin that can be found between the nose and the upper lip is known as the philtrum. The term "medial cleft," which comes from the ancient Greek word for "love charm," is another name for this structure that you might hear.
Acnestis
Have you ever experienced an itch that is located between your shoulder blades, but it seems impossible to scratch? The problem area in question is referred to as the acnestis. When they have an itchy acnestis, the majority of people scratch it themselves or have a loved one or a close friend do it for them by rubbing this area against the wall.
Caruncle
A caruncle is the name given to the pink, triangular-shaped region that can be found on the inner corner of the eye. Because it covers a network of sweat glands, the pink fleshy skin that covers it is not much more than simple skin, and it has a tendency to become extremely itchy at times.
Griffonage
Griffinage is something that is familiar to anyone who has ever had the misfortune of trying to make sense of the ramblings that a doctor has written down. The very definition of the term refers to writing that is difficult to read, which is how the majority of pharmacists would describe a prescription written by a doctor.
Crapulous
The feeling of being sick and bloated that one gets after drinking too much is referred to as crapulous. This feeling can occur when someone has overindulged in alcohol. Someone who is crapulous might also be exhibiting the signs and symptoms of someone who has had a few too many.
Dysania
The condition known as dyssania is characterized by an inability to get out of bed first thing in the morning. Even though it is not formally recognized as a medical condition, it is possible that it is a symptom of fatigue that is brought on by an actual health condition.
Kummerspeck
The German word kummerspeck, which is commonly used to refer to emotional eating, literally translates to "grief bacon." For instance, on days when a person is experiencing extreme feelings of loneliness or sadness, they may feel the need to order three pizzas and eat all of them without any assistance from anyone else.
Paresthesia
When an individual's arm or foot goes to sleep, they report feeling something like tingling or pins and needles on the affected limb. This sensation, known as paresthesia, frequently occurs when a person presses against their arm or foot for an extended period of time, which reduces the amount of blood that flows to those areas of the body.
Pizza Saver
US PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
A pizza saver is the name given to the tiny round piece of plastic that is placed in the middle of a pizza. It has the appearance of a miniature table for dolls. Carmela Vitale received a patent for her invention in 1983, and ever since then, it has been utilized to keep pizza boxes from caving in and squashing the pizza that is contained within.
Petrichor
The term "petrichor," which was initially coined by researchers in Australia in 1964, is a combination of two words that originated in Greek. The first one is called Petra, which is Arabic for "stone," and the second one is called "ichor," which is Arabic for "blood of the gods." The fresh scent that is left behind after it rains is what this word refers to.
Tittle
Have you ever been curious about the name of the dot that appears on the lower case letter I The answer to your question is that it is referred to as a tittle. The term can also be used to refer to a relatively insignificant quantity or a section of something.
Glabella
The bone that sits directly beneath the area that joins the brow ridges is known as the glabella. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the word is also used to describe the smooth region of the forehead that lies between the eyebrows.
Souffle Cups
Souffle cups are the name given to the diminutive white cups that can be found in fast food restaurants and are used to hold condiments such as mayonnaise, ketchup, or mustard. Given that they are not utilized in any way to hold individual morsels of souffle, this is an extremely ironic statement to make.
Keeper
The last loop on a person's belt is called a keeper, and it wasn't simply created for the purpose of improving the belt's appearance. The keeper ensures that the end of the belt will continue to fit securely around the user's waist rather than dangling loosely.
Pass
A pass is the collective noun for a group of donkeys. The majority of people, however, are more familiar with the word when it is used to describe when someone makes a pass at someone else in a singles bar or when they allow someone else to pass them in traffic.
Parliament
A parliament is the collective noun for a group of owls or rooks. Take, for instance, the statement that "it is not unusual to come across a gathering of owls in the woods." It is also used to refer to the most senior body of legislative representation in the United Kingdom.
Trip
The term "tribe" or "herd" is used to refer to a collection of three or more goats. The term "trip" can also be used to refer to this gathering of people. This is probably due to the fact that these goats frequently block the path of a human, causing them to stumble.
Unkindness
It's called an unkindness when there's a flock of ravens flying overhead. Although it's not very common, you can use the word in such a way as well. Obviously, the vast majority of people think of someone who is brusque and callous when they hear this word.
Murder
A flock of crows is what people call a group of crows in modern times. Crows were given the name "murder" in the 15th century when they were observed in groups because they were frequently linked to the bubonic plague and other forms of mortality. To put it simply, they were a portent of death.
Gam
A pod of whales or dolphins is referred to as a gam. The term can also be used to refer to a casual discussion that takes place between whalers while they are at sea. However, neither of these is typically employed in such a manner. In point of fact, the term "gam" is frequently used to refer to the leg of a woman.
Smack
Even a single jellyfish can be terrifying because, despite their exquisite appearance, their stings can cause excruciating pain. However, they don't always travel by themselves. Accordingly, a group of jellyfish is referred to as a smack whenever there is such a group.
Business
It is true that the term "business" can be used to refer to the occupation, profession, or even the physical location of a person's place of business. It is also possible to use it to refer to a collection of ferrets, although this usage of the word is extremely uncommon to come across.
String
It is common knowledge that a string is a thread that is fabricated from a material such as cotton. However, in this context, it refers to a collection of horses or ponies. The phrase first appeared in James Lipton's book "An Exaltation of Larks," where it was discussed.
Mononymous
Mononymous refers to a person who only uses one name for themselves. As an illustration, Cherilyn Sarkisian is better known by her mononymous stage name, Cher. Obviously, she is not the only singer in the world to perform under her given name. Madonna's full name is Madonna Louise Ciccone.
Vorfreude
The term "vorfreude" refers to the feelings of happiness that an individual experiences when thinking about the good things that are going to happen. For instance, a person may experience the emotion of vorfreude when they think about how good it is going to feel when they finally receive their diploma at their graduation ceremony.
Quincunx
A quincunx is a type of geometric pattern that is characterized by the presence of five points that are arranged in the form of a cross, with four of the points forming the shape of a square or rectangle and the fifth point located in the middle. People who have played games with dice that have one side marked with five dots might be familiar with this.
Biblioklept
Are you familiar with the word "klept," which appears in "biblioklept"? Someone who steals from stores on a compulsive basis is called a kleptomaniac. Although this condition is most common in adolescents, anyone of any age can be affected by it. And in this context, a biblioklept is a person who has an unhealthy preoccupation with shoplifting books.
Apricity
A person is said to experience apricity when they feel the warmth of the sun's rays on their skin on a cold winter day. This feeling is associated with the word "apricity." On the other hand, it is an archaic word that hasn't really been utilized in a serious context for a very long time.
Contronym
A word that can mean one thing while also meaning the complete opposite is referred to as a contronym. It can be thought of as an antonym to itself. Cleave, for instance, can mean either to cling to something or to sever it. Additionally, the phrase "in the first degree" can refer to a very serious crime, such as "murder in the first degree." But you can also use it to imply that something is not nearly as bad as it seems, such as a burn of the first degree, which is not as severe.
Grawlix
A series of symbols that represents the use of profane language in a comic book or graphic novel is referred to as a grawlix, which is a word that describes that series of symbols. By using these typographical symbols, the message can be conveyed without actually writing the obscene words that are being referenced.
Zarf
A zarf is that cardboard sleeve that goes around the coffee cup and most people who have ordered a cup of hot coffee from Starbucks should be familiar with a zarf. A zarf is used to keep the coffee cup warm. However, it is also possible for it to be presented in the form of a decorative metal or rubber holder.
The Zings
The state of being hungover is also sometimes referred to as having the zings. However, you must not confuse it with the word "zing," which also means "interesting" or "lively" and can refer to either a person or a thing. The Zings are another five-member pop band hailing from Philadelphia. The Zings are well-known for their infectious melodies and lyrics, which typically focus on the ups and downs of typical life situations.