Ludwig Wittgenstein, a well-known Austrian philosopher, once said that the limits of a language are the limits of the world itself and, with Spanish being a language with nearly 80,000 words, it was clear that it was not going to be the exception.
Today we are going to see the 80 rarest words in Spanish and its meaning, which, no matter how many they may seem, are nothing more than a small sample of all the rich, surprisingly little-used lexicon of our language. Let’s learn them.
The 85 rarest words in Spanish, explained
Below you will find, in alphabetical order, the meaning of 80 very rare words in Spanish that will surely not leave anyone indifferent. They are an example of the diversity of Cervantes’ language, which has many dialects and jargons, and some of these terms do not even appear in the dictionary.
1. Abuhado
It is said of those people who have an appearance reminiscent of an owl or similar bird.
2. Slaughter
Act of salting meats and putting them in the air. Action of converting a meat product into jerky.
3. Agigolado
Adjective, typical of the province of Segovia, which is used to describe someone who, when doing something with a little effort, feels like they are suffocating and perceives pressure in the chest.
4. Alveo
The mother of a natural hydrographic feature, usually a stream or river.
5. Arrebol
It is the effect of sunlight projected onto morning and afternoon clouds, which gives them reddish tones.
6. Bahorrina
Set of many disgusting things that have been put in water, which has become dirty. It also means a group of vulgar and mean people.
7. Bonhomie
Affability, simplicity, kindness and honesty in character.
8. Hittery
Hybrid between a horse and a donkey.
9. Cagaprisas
Person who is impatient, who is always in a hurry.
10. Celage
When clouds of different textures can be observed in the sky, forming a colorful horizon at sunset or sunrise.
11. Conflict
Act of provoking conflict in someone or something It also means suffering an internal conflict or worry that can cause behavior to change.
12. Impoverish
Weaken, physically or morally exhaust, either oneself or another person.
13. Unread
Dissolve something, solid or pasty in texture, in a liquid.
14. Dejection
Defecation of excrement.
15. Eburnous
Made of ivory or a material that resembles it.
16. Junction
Kinship relationship between people who share a common lineage trunk.
17. Smegma
Secretion of the preputial glands. Some of the semen thicker.
18. Falcado
Which has a curvature similar to that of a sickle.
19. Pharmacopoeia
Repertoire or book of medicinal recipes these can be both drugs and phytotherapeutics.
20. Ful
Faso, failed, which has little value.
21. Garambaina
Bad taste decoration or objects that are chickweed. It also means gestures of bad taste
22. Garlito
Fishing tool which consists of a pot whose narrowest part has a net with which to catch the fish.
23. Gaznapiro
Dumb, hillbilly, person who gets carried away by anything.
24. Haiga
Large and ostentatious car such as a limousine, a luxury SUV or a private bus.
25. Heresiarch
Whoever promotes a heresy, who lights the spark in an act against a religion or
26. Hermeneuta
Person who interprets texts, normally of a religious or ethical nature, to establish their true meaning.
27. Histrion
Theatrical actor. Also referred to for those people who express themselves in the characteristic manner of a person who is overacting.
28. Idiotism
Turn or linguistic expression that does not conform to grammatical rules.
29. Unfading
Said of a vegetable that cannot wither.
30. Isagoge
Introduction, preamble.
31. Jerapellina
Old and tattered dress, a piece of fabric that cannot give more of itself.
32. Gobbledygook
Language typical of some unions, that is, specialized vocabulary in a certain professional field.
33. Jipiar
Moan, hiccup, whimper. It also means singing with a voice similar to that of a moan.
34. Joyel
Little gem.
35. Labarus
Banner that was used by the ancient Romans. It is also the name of the monogram formed by the cross and the first two letters of the Greek name of Christ.
36. Lobanillo
Woody lump that forms on the bark of trees It also has its human version, which consists of a superficial, generally painless lump that forms on the head and other parts of the body.
37. Limerence
Crazy Love. Involuntary mental state in which one person’s attraction to another person prevents him or her from thinking rationally.
38. Mellifluous
Excessively sweet, soft or delicate sound.
39. World
Said of something that is clean and free of extra, added or superfluous things.
40. Nadir
Point on the celestial sphere diametrically opposite to the zenith.
41. Nefarious
Something that causes disgust or horror when it is talked about. Something that is abominable and disgusting in equal measure.
42. Nefelibata
dreamy person who finds herself in ignorance and remains isolated from how harsh and cruel this world is.
43. Nubile
Said of a person, especially a woman, who is of marriageable age.
44. Nengo
Weak, skinny, stunted person.
45. Nomblon
Said of a very fat person, with good buttocks.
46. Nuzco
One of the names used to refer to the Devil or prince of evil angels.
47. Ochavo
Synonym of eighth, used to refer to an eighth of something. It is also used to indicate that something has little value. In ancient times it was a Spanish copper coin weighing one-eighth of an ounce.
48. Oilseed
Synonymous with oily, with an oil texture.
49. Pray
Person who is not in full psychic faculties, who has lost his mind.
50. Petrichor
Smell that the earth gives off when it has been wet by the raindrops.
51. Moan
Moan and cry in such a way that others hear it. Sob and cry.
52. Patibulary
Said of someone or something that, because of its disgusting appearance, produces great fear and horror.
53. Patochada
Nonsense, said about something foolish, nonsense.
54. Picio
Said of someone who has had the misfortune of being excessively ugly.
55. Hardware
Set of metal objects, with little value. They can be scissors, imitations of jewelry, damaged car parts…
56. Recipient
Person who is solemnly received by the institution that receives it.
57. Gloating
Delight in the misfortune of others, the act of rejoicing in the misfortune of others.
58. Regnícola
Natural inhabitant of a kingdom. Also said of someone who writes about the special things of his homeland, such as penal codes, national habits, culture in general.
59. Reprobate
Condemned to eternal punishment Also said of one who is condemned for his religious heterodoxy.
60. Wisdom
Word once used as a synonym for flavor. It was also used to refer to a joke or joke.
61. Sapenco
Land snail with transverse brown stripes common to southern Europe.
62. Everlasting
Said of something that will last forever. Something that has a beginning, but no end.
63. Serendipity
A discovery that was not planned, which has turned out to be something fortunate despite the fact that something else was being searched for.
64. Trabzon
Quarrel with voices or actions. It also means agitation of the sea, formed by small waves that cross in different directions.
65. Figurehead
Person who lends his or her name to a contract that, in reality, would be the responsibility of another person to sign.
66. Tremolo
Musical concept that describes a rapid succession of repetitions of the same note.
67. Superb
Said of something that is very fertile and abundant.
68. Uchrony
Utopia applied to history Counterfactual reconstruction of a historical event, in a way that in the end it was not.
69. Uebos
Word, now out of use, that means a need or task.
70. Only begotten
Person who is an only son or daughter.
71. Void
Moaning or crying of a newborn.
72. Verbigracia
Synonym of for example.
73. Vituperation
Insult, slander or infamy that provokes the action of having offended someone.
74. Vulpine
Word used to designate everything that is related to foxes
75. Xerophytic
Said about those vegetables that are adapted by their structure to dry environments.
76. Xerophthalmia
Eye disease in which there is dryness of the eyeball and retraction of the conjunctiva, as well as opacity of the cornea.
77. Xeromicteria
Dryness of the nasal mucosa.
78. Zaino
Traitor, false, unsure in dealing.
79. Jiggle
Constantly moving from one place to another without any purpose.
80. Zonzo
Bland, bland and insipid. Also said to refer to someone or something that turns out to be quite stupid.
81. Ababol
This is one of the most characteristic insults of the dialect varieties of Spanish that extend between Aragon and Navarra. It is used to refer to people who are distracted or who do not know what is happening around them.
82. Obnubilate
It is a cultism used to talk about those who have a cloudy mind, usually when thinking or focusing on something very beautiful or stimulating.
83. Cantuo
Cantúo means “muscular person” in several Andalusian dialects.
84. Sesquicentennial
This word is used to designate a period of 150 years.
85. Anxiety
Anxiety is a state of mental agitation linked to anxiety, confusion and hopelessness.
What is the origin of strange words?
One might think that, since language is used to communicate, it is normal that words tend to be learned by everyone to avoid confusion. However, reality shows us that strange or strange words are everywhere What is this about? Above all, for three reasons:
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PsychologyFor. (2024). The 85 Rarest Words in Spanish (and Their Meaning). https://psychologyfor.com/the-85-rarest-words-in-spanish-and-their-meaning/