Verbosity

Don't be afraid of big words. Just use them well, my friends.

There's nothing worse than using an awesome word in the wrong way. Today I'm sharing a few of my favorites along with the correct definitions. Because I'm here to make you look good.

Plethora: an large or excessive amount of something.  

Would you say I have a plethora of piñatas? (The Three Amigos)

Décolletage: the low neckline on a woman's blouse or dress, or a woman's cleavage as revealed by a low neckline.

Gentlemen do appreciate a nicely trimmed décolletage. (The Secret History of the Pink Carnation)

Tete-a-tete: a private conversation between two people, literally meaning head to head.

I mean, where's the harm in having dinner tete-a-tete with an old flame? (Rescuing Rose)

Epiphany: a sudden and profound understanding of something.

Smee: I've just had an apostrophe.

Hook: I think you mean an epiphany.

Smee: Lightning has just struck my brain.

Hook: That must hurt.

Incandescent: passionate or brilliant.

If ever a mind was incandescent, unimpeded...it was Shakespeare's mind. (Virginia Woolf)

Oooh! This makes me want to add five hundred extra-long words to my current work in progress. They are incredibly wonderful, amazingly descriptive, and an absolute pleasure to use. Sadly, I usually take them out instead. Still, I promise to always use some words that send the typical YA reader rummaging for the dictionary. (I certainly did in Becoming Beauty!) What can I say? I'm all about educating the masses. 

I'd love to hear your favorite big words. Leave me a comment! As always, thanks for dropping in! Grab your thesaurus and happy writing, my dears!