I don't know any other Norwegian words, but you have to love this word right here:
Ekorn is Norwegian for squirrel.
Yep. That's right. And it is a coincidence. Ekorn basically means "oak kitten".
I'm just going to let you sit on that one for a while.
technorati tags:words, vocabulary, ekorn, Norwegian, squirrel
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Even though it's not improper or vulgar, I'm not sure how often you want to use this word around Mom... Nonetheless, here it is:
A prig is someone who displays or demands pointlessly precise conformity, fussiness about trivialities, or exaggerated propriety, especially in a self-righteous or irritating manner. Not to be confused with a similar sounding word that means "an obnoxious or contemptible person", but is considered vulgar.
technorati tags:words, vocabulary, prig
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To discomfit someone is to make them lose their composure; to make them uneasy or embarrassed. You might notice an odd similarity to someone experiencing discomfort: This is not a coincidence. It is considered likely that the current meaning of the word resulted from people mixing it up with "discomfort". The original meaning (which is still correct, if rare) has to do with thwarting the plans of one's opponents. The meaning "to frustrate" falls somewhere in between the other meanings.
Interestingly, both comfit and discomfit come from the Latin word "conficere" (to prepare), but otherwise the words have little to do with each other: Comfit is a food consisting of spices or dried fruits or nuts coated with sugar.
technorati tags:words, vocabulary, discomfit, comfit
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Making up for a missed day with a quick double-post:
A fata morgana is a mirage. Fata morgana can also refer to many other things, but perhaps most notably (and most related to our primary definition), it is also an alternate name for Morgan le Fay, the shape-shifter of Arthurian legend.
technorati tags:words, vocabulary, fata morgana, Morgan le Fay
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technorati tags:words, vocabulary, de rigueur, French
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Something that is meretricious is brummagem, meaning that it is gaudy or attracts attention in a vulgar manner. It can also mean something having to deal with prostitutes or prostitution.
technorati tags:words, vocabulary, meretricious, brummagem
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