Miscellaneous 

Click Here for the Big List of Seven-Letter Words  or scroll down
Click Here for the Words of the Month  or scroll way, way down

The Backdoor to many posts New and Old:  Miscellaneous shared folders contain photography, images, pdf's and other documents.  Many links on this website (and previous years' Archives) will lead to these resource files.  Some of the content, however, can only be viewed by browsing through each folder (The Website Content folder has the largest collection of most recent content that is many layers deep--Miscellaneous 2025, for example).

- the Big List -

October 1,  2025  The Big List 2025--Updates. 

Here is the link:   Excel Spreadsheet  Or  PDF file.    The List of Seven-Letter Words currently contains 7,798 words.  It will be updated from time to time throughout the year.  Today's update included the addition of 12 words (shown below).  Many common words had been overlooked (see below).

Words that Qualify

The list is an accumulation of encountered words  and not compiled using a dictionary search.  Dictionaries are used, however, to verify all words are correctly spelled and are formal English.

• Words that qualify for The Big List must either be  seven letter stand-alone word or shorter root words with attached affixes that total seven letters (see link below*).

• The list does not include hyphenated words .

• Lastly, words cannot be slang or Informal speech as defined by both British and English language definitions.  However, if either British or English dictionaries considers a word Formal speech, it will be included. (Unintentional misuse of some words could be viewed as inappropriate or even offensive, depending on the audience. Therefore, know your audience.)

Words that qualify are becoming more scarce and difficult to identify.  As a result less common and more obscure words are now being added.   For example, the list has grown from 5,053 words posted on March 29, 2019 (See Archive--Excel version) to the recent total of 7,588 on December 15, 2024 (2,088 days). That's an average of only 1.214 words added per day.  As of July 18, 2025 the total total accumulated words is 102 words more--averaging  about one new word every two days.

Click here for  The Word(s) of the Month  that are listed further down on this page.  These are longer and usually less frequently used words.  Also, test your knowledge of seven-letter words by playing Spellbound for free at the Washington Post.

*Learn more about Affixations (prefixes and suffixes) at Edulyte.com.

October 1, 2025 Update

1.   attaché

2.   milkers

3.   moodier

4.   posited

5.   reeking

6.   snorers

7.   thereon

8.   whooped

9.   whooper

10.   wreaked

11.   wreaker

12.   wrecker
    
    

September 14, 2025 Update

1.  academy

2.  already

3.  anybody

4.  bawdier

5.  bawdily

6.  bedroom

7.  calibre

8.  chapter

9.  daybeds

10.  default

11.  digital

12.  donging

13.  economy

14.  ecstasy

15.  examine

16.  gateway

17.  gazelle

18.  granges

19.  inquire

20.  inquiry

21.  interim

22.  juniors

23.  legumes

24.  library

25.  lineman

26.  linemen

27.  milkfat

28.  mineral

29.  operate

30.  optical

31.  payable

32.  payoffs

33.  pension

34.  phoenix

35.  pioneer

36.  pulpits

37.  realise

38.  reopens

39.  retinue

40.  rollout

41.  seniors

42.  sermond

43.  shedder

44.  silicon

45.  telecom

46.  theatre

47.  thriven

48.  tonight

49.  totally

50.  webcast

51.  welfare

September 1, 2025 Update

1.   bedbugs

2.  blankly

3.  matchup

4.  revises

5.  sapient

6.  seaweed

7.  subtler

8.  topless

9.  untamed

10.  webpage

August 22, 2025 Update

1.   backend

2.   backlog

3.   backups

4.   freshed

5.   freshes

6.   freshet

7.   maturer

8.   plaided

9.   sorrier

10.   sorrily

11.   topsoil

12.   unrests

13.   widowed

August 14, 2025 Update

1.    breezer

2.   cupolas

3.   daycare

4.   doormat

5.   hoedown

6.   lobbied

7.   loppers

8.   motored

9.   plaqued

10.   retried

11.   retries

12.   retting

13.   retying

14.   runaway

15.   someone

16.   uncocks

17.   uncorks

18.   untying

19.   whalers

August 1, 2025 Update

1.       aptness

2.   landers

3.   mascara

4.   unkinks

5.   unreels

6.   unsnarl

7.   untwine

8.   untwist

July 18, 2025 Update

1.   abasing

2.   excised

3.   exciser

4.   excises

5.   spheric

July 1, 2025 Update

1.    aphotic

2.  ascents

3.  assents

4.  bearcat

5.  chronic

6.  clefted

7.  fatally

8.  fixated

9.  fuxates

10.  lolling

11.  papered

12.  tandems

13.  tundras

14.  unturns
    
    

June 22, 2025 Update

1.   bitcoin

2.  cachets

3.  funeral

4.  honours

5.  hutting

6.  leagued

7.  lingual

8.  montage

9.  siatica

10.  tonsure

11.  widower
    
    

May 29, 2025 Update

1.  bananas

2.  cabanas

3.  onioned

4.  playoff

5.  runoffs

6.  turnips

May 8, 2025 Update

1.   agitant

2.  agitate

3.  arbiter

4.  areated

5.  areator

6.  dizzier

7.  frogger

8.  frothed

9.  penises

10.  souther

11.  tugboat

April 7, 2025 Update

1.   dizzied

2.  dizzies

3.  dragons

4.  matcher

5.  placers

March 16, 2025 Update

1.  dilling

2.  fallout

3.  flecked

4.  girlish

5.  grilled

6.  indorse

7.  killing

8.  promise

9.  sillier

___________________________

March's Extras--Defined

ChatGPT 4.o can be used to obtain word definitions for those listed in The List of Seven-Letter Words.  In this demonstration, I have requested a brief, 15-words or less defintion for each word in the following words copied from page 5.    

Firstcopy one or more words from The List of Seven-Letter Words.  Either copy a list of the words, or type them first separately in notepad when skipping around from page to page.  Next, log in to ChatGPT.  In the Prompt line (ask anything), type or paste a similar prompt as the one shown below along with the list of words that can also be pasted.  When finished, press the Up arrow following the prompt.  ChatGPT will do the rest:

Prompt:   Please write a brief fifteen-words or less definition (primary meaning) after each word in this list.

alertly

alfalfa

aliases

aligned

alimony

alkenes

alleged

alleges

allergy

allowed

alluded

allured

allying

almanac

aloofly

ChatGPT:

Sure! Here's the list with brief definitions for each:

• alertly: In a quick, attentive, or vigilant manner.

• alfalfa: A plant used as animal feed and for human consumption, known for its nutritional value.

• aliases: Alternate names used by a person, especially to conceal their identity.

• aligned: Arranged in a straight line or coordinated for a common purpose.

• alimony: Financial support one spouse must pay to the other after separation or divorce.

• alkenes: Hydrocarbons containing at least one double bond between carbon atoms.

• alleged: Claimed or asserted without proof, often in the context of wrongdoing.

• alleges: To claim or assert something, typically without proof.

• allergy: A hypersensitive reaction of the immune system to substances (allergens) like pollen or food.

• allowed: Permitted or given permission for something to happen.

• alluded: Mentioned indirectly or briefly, often as a hint or reference.

• allured: Attracted or drawn to something, often through charm or temptation.

• allying: Forming an alliance or partnership, often for mutual benefit or support.

• almanac: A reference book published annually, containing facts, statistics, and other useful information for a year. 

• aloofly: In a distant or reserved manner, showing no interest or involvement.

___________________________

March 6, 2025 Update

1.   beached

2.  cajoled

3.  cajoles

4.  hoodies

5.  ordinal

6.  pebbled

7.  rubbles

8.  signers

9.  sudsing
   
   

________________________________________________

February's Extras--Sneezes

Clarify the meaning of "Achoo" and "ch"  when sneezing?

To spell the sound of a big sneeze, you would write "achoo". "Achoo" is the commonly used onomatopoeia for a sneeze in English. 

A suppressed sneeze, when you try, to hold back a sneeze, makes a different sound.

• Description:
  "It's a short, tight sound, sometimes with a slight "ch" element depending on how the tongue is positioned.

• Mechanism:
  When you try to suppress a sneeze, your throat muscles tense up, creating a blockage that results in this muffled sound as air tries to escape.

What Triggers Sneezing?

• Allergies: Pollen, dust, pet dander, mold

• Infections: Common cold, flu, sinus infections

• Irritants: Smoke, air pollution, strong smells, spicy foods

• Dry air: Low humidity can irritate the nasal membranes

• Bright light: Some people experience sneezing when exposed to bright light

• Emotional triggers: Laughter, crying, stress

• Physical activity: Strenuous exercise can cause sneezing

• Medications: Certain nasal sprays and corticosteroids can trigger sneezing as a side effect

• Idiopathic: Sometimes, sneezing can occur without an obvious trigger 

National Library of Medicine

________________________________________________

February 9, 2025 Update

1.   blonder

2.  curlier

3.  godless

4.  organza

5.  swelted
   
   

January 27, 2025 Update

1.   damming

2.  granite

3.  igneous

4.  loaders

5.  loading

6.  timpani
   
   

January 7, 2025 Update

1.   calzone

2.    exposit

3.  recital

4.  renamed

5.  renames

6.  renewal

7.  renewed

8.  savants

9.  sledded

10.  sledder

11.  sledged

12.  sledger

13.  widened
    
    

December 26, 2024 Update

1.  libated

2.  libates

3.  libator

4.  tritely

5.  warlike

December 15, 2024 Update

1.  parlays

2.  parlors
   
   

November 25, 2024 Update

1.   lipsync
   
   

October 29, 2024 Update

1.   augered

2.  cuffing

3.  fainter

4.  fawning

5.  incubus

6.  jailors

7.  protend

8.  scabies

9.  scruple

10.  thwacks
    
    

October 16, 2024 Update

1.  blaring

2.  blurted

3.  debacle

4.  dualist

5.  duelist

6.  gestalt

7.  sawlike

8.  spurted

_________________________________

September Extras 

Some "ness" Words* 

astuteness, cheerfulness, fitness (p. 79)**, frankness, friendliness, gratefulness, happiness,  kindness, pleasantness, quietness, scrumptiousness, thankfulness

bashfulness, deafness, fruitlessness, homelessness, homeliness, hopelessness, illness (p. 106), oneness (p. 139), sadness (p. 177), shyness (p. 187), squeamishness, talkativeness, verboseness, weightlessness

alikeness, cantankerousness, disagreeableness, dreafulness, foulness, grouchiness, licentiousness, likeness, madness  (p. 124), nastiness, offensiveness, salaciousness, senselessness, ugliness, unfriendliness, unkindness, unpleasantness, uselessness, venomousness, vileness, witness (p. 234)

*Adding the suffix "-ness" to an adjective creates an abstract noun that denotes the state, condition, or quality of being that the adjective describes.  (Source:  Google AI Labs)
**Included in The List of Seven-Letter Words.

Don't Forget a few "ity" Words*

civility, clarity (p. 38), congeniality, cordiality, creativity, curiousity, generousity, hospitality, intuity (p.110), jollity (p. 113), Latinity, parity, productivity, prosperity, reciprocity, sacrosanctity, sanctity, sanity, security, sincerity, stability, superiority, versatility

activity, authenticity, disparity, duality (p. 65),  duplexity, femininity, fluidity, garrulity, identity, immunity, imparity, impunity, indemnity, individuality, inequality, insanity, integrity, inviolability, liquidity, longevity, masculinity, multiplicity, muscularity, personality, polarity, probability, quality (p. 161), quantity, rapidity, sensibility, simplicity, singularity, solubility, torpidity, velocity, veracity, verbosity, volubility, voracity

duplicity, hostility, instability, laxity, rancidity, vulgarity

*The suffix "-ity" is added to adjectives to form nouns that refer to the state, quality, or behavior that the adjective describes.   (Source:  Google AI Labs)

_________________________________

"either" and "neither"

Click here for the pronunciation of the words either and neither. . . (with the knee and eeee sounds)

But many prefer to pronounce them as  "eye ther" and "nigh ther" and that's o.k. too. The meaning is clear either way.  Neither  pronunciation is incorrect.  Go with the flow and  you'll fit in.

Current thought seems to be in favor of Eye and Nigh sounds that project smoother (less screechy) or more sophisticated speech--especially in theatrical, television, and or other media settings.  

_________________________________

September 27, 2024 Update

1.  abiotic

2.  anteing

3.  arrayed

4.  carrots

5.  chaplet

6.  clothes

7.  dualism

8.  intuity

9.  jollity

10.  oneness

11.  oocytes

12.  platens

13.  seiches

14.  squeams

15.  squeems
    
    

September 3, 2024 Update

1.   abridge

2.  cuboids

3.  curates

4.  decibel

5.  disobey

6.  hummers

7.  onefold

8.  repunit

August 19, 2024 Update

1.   berserk

2.  carport

3.  fantail

4.  hayloft

5.  offsets

6.  pithing

7.  raddled

8.  raddles

9.  ratlike

August 2, 2024 Update

1.   kennels

2.  puffier

3.  swilled

July 22, 2024 Update

1.   rectors

2.  rectory

3.  vocally

July 12, 2024 Update

1.   cultist

2.  faddist

3.   habitué

4.  hoaxing

5.  petards

July 6, 2024 Update

1.   abjured

2.  abjures

3.  expiate

4.  gainsay

5.  impaler

July 1, 2024 Update

1.   fittest

2.  hawking

3.  mattock

4.  tactile

June 14, 2024 Update

1.  entombs

2.  ordains

3.  pettily

4.  pitters

5.  rockery 

June 11, 2024 Update

1.  bunters

2.  cheeped

3.  chirred

4.  gassing

5.  grained

6.  grainer

7.  ingrain

8.  troffer

9.  visible

June 7, 2024 Update

1.  chugged

2.  harking

3.  maracas

4.  murkier

5.  notedly

6.  reticle

7.  rosette

June 1, 2024 Update

1.  acutely

2.  ellipse

3.  faulter

4.  pilings

5.  vetoing 

May 27, 2024 Update

1.  beatify

2.  churchy

3.  dissect

4.  dissent

5.  injures

6.  instore

7.  morally

8.  pietist

9.  rampant

10.  ravines

11.  serfdom

12.  strobed

13.  strobes

14.  unbraid

15.  valleys

May 24, 2024 Update:

1.  asphalt

2.  gullies

3.  outturn

4.  pursuer

5.  sieving

6.  squires

7.  tunings

8.  upshots
   
   

May 8, 2024 Update:

1.  approve

2.  emperor

3.  grafted

4.  murkily

5.  pileums

6.  piloted

7.  sprites

8.  teasers

9.  vendees

April 18, 2024 Update:

1.   duality

2.  scorers

3.  trellis

April 12, 2024 Update:

1.    obverse

2.  sapping

3.  sippers

4.  urinate

5.  zipping
   
   

March 7, 2024 Update:

1.   churros

2.   soylent

3.   tranche
   
   

March 3, 2024 Update:

1.   bayonet

2.  cutlets

3.  enthral

4.  panther

5.  videoed

February 16, 2024 Update:

1.  flaccid

2.  flakier   (formal comparative adjective, e.g. This cereal is flakier.

3.  migrant

4.  rotator

5.  topless

   flakily   (deleted informal adverb)

February 6, 2024 Update:

1.   dwarves

2.   inertly

3.   leafing

4.   seances

February 5, 2024 Update:

1.   analogy

2.   clarion

3.   delayer

4.   furrows

5.   inkings

6.   kinetic

7.   orotund

8.   paining

9.   seagoer

10.   severer

January 23, 2024 Update:

1.   apexing

2.   coerced

3.   decayed

4.   gelling (British)

5.   hirings

6.   ineptly

7.   lurking

8.   myriads

9.   ploughs

10.   vouched

11.   vouches

January 07, 2024 Update:

1.   drugged

2.   nubbins

3.   sapling

4.   steeply

5.   stented

6.   stowage

7.   toggles

December 9 Update:

1.   blowing

2.   congest

3.   jotting

4.   pourers

5.   pottage

6.   tenancy

7.   tenants

8.   yowling
   
   

December 9 Update:

1.  chucked

2.  chucker

3.  defects

4.  deflect

5.  detract

6.  drainer

7.  dummied

8.  dummies

9.  escapee

10.  gimbals

11.  gummier

12.  gummies

13.  modicum

14.  moulder

15.  mummies

16.  mummify

17.  overdid

18.  paywall

19.  preplan

20.  ramekin

21.  satanic

November 12 Update:

1.   dottles

2.   gifting

3.   hoverer

4.   coverer
     

October 26 Update:

1.    bleated

2.    blither

3.    debited

4.    divorce

5.    drizzly

6.    elevens

7.    epaulet

8.    jibbery

9.    mashers

10.    nickers

11.    rasters

12.    strives

13.    studded

14.    twelves

October 19 Update:

1.  knapped

2.  knotter

3.  misfits

4.  muckers

5.  mucking

6.  napping

7.  pharmas

8.  postmen

9.  realism

10.  revoked

11.  trekked

12.  winders

13.  zonings
    
    

October 10 Update:

1.   bearers

2.   haddock

3.   harmful

4.   literal

5.   purloin

6.   thieved

7.   whiners
   
   

October 1 Update:

1.  deburrs

2.   fallacy

3.  fryings

4.  gurneys

5.  humming

6.  humoral

7.  loggers

8.  naively

9.  naivete (deleted naivety from the list and replaced it with naivete)

10.  spudder

11.  workers

12.  workman

13.   workmen

September 16 Update:

14.  brisket

15.  copying

16.  dankish

17.  deceits

18.  dejects

19.  disjoin

20.  kindler

21.  muskets

22.  middens

23.  poplars

24.  populus

25.  rebrand

26.  recoats

27.  skaters

28.  summons

29.  unaware

30.  untrust

31.  uplifts
    
    

September 7 Update:

1.  annular

2.  astrand

3.  crackly

4.  fluxing

5.  skiving

6.  snorkel

7.  surmise

8.  uprisen
   
   

September 3 Update:

1.   childly

2.  gauntly

3.  papists

4.  polygon

5.  shirked

6.  shirker

7.  sheperd (deleted -- is a surname, shepherd is a herder of sheep)

8.  slacker (deleted -- informal, shirker is formal English)

August 14 Update:

1.   cackler

2.  conduce

3.  duchess

4.  dukedom

5.  ladened

6.  reproof

7.  slatted
   
   

July 27 Update:

1.     deeming

2.   eschews

3.   heckled

4.   heckler

5.   heckles

6.   hectare

7.   hectors

8.   honored

9.   onerous

10.   penalty

11.   polemic

12.   sensory
    
    

July 12 Update:

1.      furious

2.   kitchen

3.   reoccur

4.   yarding
   
   

June 19 Update:

1.   cotters

2.   crewing  

3.   gaskets

4.   pillion

5.   pitying

6.   pythons

7.   sculler
   
   

June 7 Update:

1.  creping

2.  pinions

3.  rigging

4.  rutting

May 30 Update:

1.    bedways

2.  clamber

3.  foremen

4.  joinery

5.  latrine

6.  meerkat

7.  scuffer

8.  sifters

May 22 Update:

1.  reusers

2.   reusing
   
   

May 20 Update:

1.   brioche 

2.  burping

3.  dripper

4.  eructed

5.  gauging

6.  gooping

7.  haploid

8.  knurled

9.  murders

10.  reddest

11.  rummage

12.  seminar

13.  trireme

14.  trunked
    
    

May 15 Update:

1.   dialing

2.  elector

May 8 Update:

1.    lithely

2.  luridly

3.  ordeals

4.  putaway

5.  thirsts

6.    wisping

7.  walnuts
   
   

May 1 Update:

1.    deterrs   (misspelling)

2.    diurnal
   
   

April 25 Update:

3.    hutched

4.    hutches

5.    notched

6.    notches

7.    seminal

8.    suckled

9.    suckler

10.    suckles
    
    

April 22 Update:

1.   broiled

2.   chunked

3.   copulae

4.   copular

5.   copulas

6.   trended
   
   

April 21 Update:

1.   bandgap

2.  cathode

3.   cations

4.   entropy
   
   

April 18 Update:

1.   ambling

2.   breakup

3.  clearer

4.   lineups

5.   plainer

6.   strider

7.   stridor

8.   tribune
   
   

April 17 Update:

1.   gametes

2.   imaging

3.   libidos

4.   logical

5.   steroid
   
   

April 16 Update:

1.   dumbest

2.   graying

3.   greying

4.  miasmas   (correction for misamas)

5.   mildest

6.  pleural   (correction for plueral)

7.   shyness

8.   wildest
   
   

April 15 Update:

1.  inexact 

2.  slitter  (replacement for slitted, a duplicate entry)

3.   strewth
   
   

April 13 Update:

1.  fuelers

2.   fueling

3.   sinuous
   
   

April 8 Update:

1.   aplenty

2.  bristly

3.  endings

4.   rousers

5.   tailend

6.   twiddle
   
   

April 3 Update:

1.   stopgap

2.  therapy

3.  uncheck
   
   

March 31 Update:

1.   sorghum
   
   

March 30 Update:

1.  denoise

2.  kettled
   
   

March 14 Update:

1.   airsled

2.  bossing

3.  crosser

4.  crossly

5.  cupsful

6.  dialers

7.  mannish

8.  mobbing

9.  panfuls

10.  pansful

11.  redials

12.  sadlier
    
    

March 11 Update:

1.   resends

2.  restack

3.  rezoned

4.  rezones

5.  riveted
   
   

March 5 Update:

1.   bejewel

2.  emerald

3.  inflect

4.  offered

5.  offeree

6.  offeror
   
   

February 27 Update:

1.   awfully

2.  clinged  (deleted--nonstandard, use clung instead)

3.  preload

4.  timings
   
   

February 23 Update:

1.   birdied

2.  birdies

3.  claspes  (deleted--misspelling)

4.  guzzler  (deleted--informal)

5.  planers
   
   

February 21 Update:

1.   fasciae

2.  sellers

3.  selling

4.  silvery

5.  trickle

6.  wiggled

7.  wiggler
   
   

February 20 Update:

1.   shagged

2.  smuggle

3.  snugged
   
   

February 18 Update:

1.   angling

2.  slavers

3.  snubbed

4.  touchup
   
   

February 17 Update:

1.   apprise

2.  hooking

3.  lucidly

4.  prowled

5.  rebaked

6.  rebakes

7.  recolor

8.  redraws

9.  regroup

10.  reheats

11.  rejoins

12.  retouch

13.  rewoven
    
    

February 14 Update:

1.   deleted

2.  ruinous

3.  scrawny

4.  sparkly
   
   

February 5 Update:

1.    squeaky

2.  sweetly
   
   

February 1 Update:

1.  impinge

2.   nougats

3.  obelisk

4.  obeying

5.  payouts

6.  shinned

January 23 Update:

1.  teenage
   
   

January 17 Update:

1.  engines

2.  fizzers

3.  ganging

4.  meshing

5.  misstep

6.  planing

7.  scarcer

8.  surreal

January 2 Update:

1.  dodgers (deleted--informal)

2.  smasher (added)

January 1, 2023 Update:

1.  educate

2.  teacher  

3.  teaches

4.  middles

5.  waiters

6.  wattles
   
   

Words of the month

October 2025's  Eleven-letter Words of the month are:
Ex·trav·a·gant

/ikˈstravəɡənt,ekˈstravəɡənt/

adjective

• lacking restraint in spending money or using resources.
  "it was rather extravagant to buy both"

• exceeding what is reasonable or appropriate; absurd.
  "extravagant claims for its effectiveness"

Ex·ag·ger·at·ed

/iɡˈzajəˌrādəd,eɡˈzajəˌrādəd/

adjective

• regarded or represented as larger, better, or worse than in reality.
  "an exaggerated account of his adventures"

• enlarged or altered beyond normal proportions.
  "comic book characters are drawn with exaggerated features so you will remember them"

September 2025's Eight-letter Word of the month is: 

Zeit·geist

/ˈzītˌɡīst/

noun

• the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.
  "the story captured the zeitgeist of the late 1960s"

August 2025's  Ten-letter  and Twelve-letter Words of the month are:
Al·ien·a·tion

/ˌālēəˈnāSH(ə)n/

noun

• the state or experience of being isolated from a group or an activity to which one should belong or in which one should be involved.
  
  "unemployment may generate a sense of political alienation"

Note:  The word "Alienation" is divided into five syllables: a-li-en-a-tion, whereas the word shown above in large type has 3 dots, that divide the word into 4 sections.  The dots represent acceptable places this word can be divided at the end of the line when it is being written.

The general rule is that if the first or last syllables contain single letters, then they should never be "Orphaned" at either the end or the beginning of a line. In this word, "A" should never be orphaned.  Other acceptable line breaks for this word would be after the n or after the second a.  Another general rule is that word separation using a hyphen should always occur between syllables with certain exceptions.

There are other rules that apply, such as mono-syllable words such as "through" cannot be broken.  Writers who are not familiar with the rules for word division should either refer to a writer's style manual or commit them to memory.

Today's technolgy using applications such as MS Word and publishing software may automatically create hyphenations at the end of lines along with many other formatting tasks which used to be the duties of the reporter, proofreader, and editor, etc., or all three.  Even now the responsibility for accuracy remains with the writer(s) of the final message since the computer cannot be blamed for making errors if they should appear.

Lastly, whether you are identifying acceptable word breaks for inserting hyphens or simply syllabicating a word, the first step is to locate the vowels.

_________________________________________

noun

• the state or experience of being isolated from a group or an activity to which one should belong or in which one should be involved.
  "unemployment may generate a sense of political alienation"

on·o·mat·o·poe·ia

/ˌänəˌmädəˈpēə,ˌänəˌmadəˈpēə/

noun

The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named (e.g. cuckoo, sizzle ).

It's a way to make writing more vivid and engaging by creating a sensory experience for the reader.  
A relatively large number of bird names arise by onomatopoeia"

• • The use of onomatopoeia is for literary effect.
    "the language in her picture books is notable for its playfulness and onomatopoeia"

  • Examples:  Bird sounds:  cuckoo, killdeer, Mourning Dove, Caw

  • More examples:  "Sizzle" as hot grease in a frying pan and many more . . . "buzz," "hiss," "Croak" and "Ribbit" for a frog,"  "meow," "woof," "Moo." "Baa," "Oink," "Cluck," "Neigh" and "Whinny" for a horse; "splash" for spilled liquid, and lastly "Swish," "Swoosh." "Woosh," and maybe even "Squish" to  sounds associated with and describe various forms of motion .

August, 2025's  Celebration of Articles and Prepositions  

The little and often ignored words that  are an important part of language.

• a, an, the (articles)

• in, of, by (a few prepositions)

July 2025's  Nine-letter Word of the month is:

Eschewing--verb

gerund or present participle: eschewing

• deliberately avoid using; abstain from.
  "he appealed to the crowd to eschew violence"

• "he  lurked in the shadows eschewing the angry crowd's intent"
  
  

June 2025's  Ten-letter Word of the month is:

Nomophobia--noun

• (No Mobile Phone Phobia) is a psychological condition characterized by the fear of being without or disconnected from one's mobile phone. This fear can be severe enough to affect daily life and functioning.

"Students with limited access to their mobile phones display symptoms of Nomophobia."  

May 2025's  Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen-letter Words of the month are:

Per·ma·nent·ly--adverb

/ˈpərm(ə)nən(t)lē/

• in a way that lasts or remains unchanged indefinitely; for all time.
  "his lungs are permanently damaged"

Com·plex·i·ties--plural/noun

/kəmˈpleksədēs/

• the states or qualities of being intricate or complicated.
  "having many complexities"

De·fib·ril·la·tor--noun/Medicine

/dəˈfibrəˌlādər/

• an apparatus used to control heart fibrillation by application of an electric current to the chest wall or heart.

April 2025's  Eight- and Nine-Letter Words of the month are:

Terminous--noun

• a final point in space or time; an end or extremity.
  "the exhibition's terminus is 1962"

• British
  the end of a railroad or other transportation route, or a station at such a point; a terminal.

Ad nauseam-- Latin phrase

• "to the point of nausea" or "to a sickening extent," used to describe something that has been repeated or done to such an extent that it becomes tiresome or annoying.  

Egregious--adjective

• outstandingly bad; shocking.

"egregious abuses of copyright"

March 2025's  Eight- and Nine-Letter Words of the month are:

Humility--noun

• a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness.
  "he needs the humility to accept that their way may be better"

Posturing--noun

• behavior that is intended to impress or mislead. 
  "a masking of fear with macho posturing"

February 2025's Nine-, Ten-, Fifteen, and Sixteen-Letter Words of the month are:

Soliloquy--noun

• an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play.
  "Edmund ends the scene as he had begun it, with a soliloquy"

Fortuitous--adjective

• happening by accident or chance rather than design.

"the similarity between the paintings may not be simply fortuitous

• happening by a lucky chance; fortunate.
  "from a cash standpoint, the company's timing is fortuitous"

Personification--noun

• the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman,
  or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.

Anthropomorphism--noun

• the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object.

Note:  Personification and anthropomorphism are similar literary devices with a few key distinctions. Personification is the use of figurative language to give inanimate objects or natural phenomena humanlike characteristics in a metaphorical and representative way.

"The bookends knew they were close, but were always separated by a shelfful of books."

Anthropomorphism, on the other hand, involves non-human things displaying literal human traits and being capable of human behavior.

"The crow marched over and picked up a cigarette and then, with a wink form one eye, skipped away smoking it."

       Source:  MasterClass.com 

January 2025's Nine- ,Ten-, Eleven and Twelve-Letter Words of the month is:

Repugnant--adjective

• extremely distasteful; unacceptable.
  "the thought of going back into the fog was repugnant to him"

• in conflict with; incompatible with.

• "a bylaw must not be repugnant to the general law of the country
  
  

Indubitably--adverb

• in a way that is clearly apparent or capable of being logically proved.
  "the policies followed so far have demonstrably failed"

Pugnacious--adjective

disposed toward or threatening war; hostile.

"a warlike clan"

Demonstrably--adverb

adverb

• in a way that is clearly apparent or capable of being logically proved.
  "the policies followed so far have demonstrably failed"

Overstanding--Verb,  has multiple meanings: 

• Nautical verb: To overreach or to keep a course beyond a mark. For example, "Twice in a row, we overstood the windward marks". 

• Unwillingness to understand: To act like it's beneath you to understand something. For example, "We all overstand. We have limited attention and can't try to understand everything". 

• Seeing the big picture: To view life from a mountain peak, or to appreciate the larger context or cultural and historical nuances behind something. 

• To stand too much or too long: To insist or stand too much or too long. 

• To stand too strictly: To stand too strictly on the demands or conditions of something. 

• To sail to a wider angle: In yachting or boat racing, to sail to the mark at a wider angle than is the normal upwind angle. 

• To neglect a coppice: In forestry, to be neglected and left uncut for too long. 

The word overstand comes from the Middle English word overstonden, which means "to stand over or by". The earliest known use of the verb overstand is in the Old English period (pre-1150).  (Source:  Search Labs | AI Overview)

December 2024's Eight-letter Word of the month is:

pell-mell--adverb

• in a confused, rushed, or disorderly manner.
  "the contents of the sacks were thrown pell-mell to the ground"
  --adjective

• recklessly hasty or disorganized; headlong.
  "steering the pell-mell development of Europe onto a new and more gradual course"

     --noun

• a state of affairs or collection of things characterized by haste or confusion.
  "the pell-mell of ascending gables and roof tiles"  (Source: Google Search)

November 2024's  Eight-letter Word of the month is:

Solitude--(noun) the state or situation of being alone.  "Mr. Lonely--Youtube"

October 2024's  Sixteen-letter Word of the month is:

Cantankerousness--(noun) the quality of being grumpy, angry, and irritable, and of often complaining or expressing anger.

"Cantankerousness can be exhibited by the young and old alike."

September 2024's  Nine-letter Word of the month is:

Aftermath--(noun) the consequences or aftereffects of a significant unpleasant event.

"food prices soared in the aftermath of the drought"

August 2024's  Ten-and fifteen-letter Words of the month are:

Bamboozled--(informal Adjective or Verb)   “that can mean to be confused or misled, or to deliberately trick someone"

Hoodwinked-- (verb)   an archaic expression meaning "to be duped" or "to have misled or confused someone by trickery."  "Mr. Charles Montgomery Burns is very leery about being hoodwinked."

Troubleshooting--(noun)  tracing and correcting faults in a mechanical or electronic system.

July 2024's  Thirteen-letter Words of the month are:

Circumstances-- (Plural Noun)  facts or conditions connected with or relevant to events or actions. 

Complications-- (Plural Noun)   circumstancs that complicate something; difficulties 

June, 2024's  Eleven- and Thirteen-Letter Words of the month are:

Caracatures-- (Plural Noun)  pictures, descriptions, or imitations of people in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect.

Rapscallion-- (Noun) a person, especially a child or a man who is dishonest or causes trouble, but who you oftren still like.  Did you know that the word "rascal" is short for rapscallion.

Improvidently--(adverb) in a way that is unwise and does not plan carefully for the future.  

May, 2024's  Nine-Letter Word of the month is:

Gargoyles--p(Plural noun) grotesque carved human or animal faces or figures projecting from the gutter of a building, typically acting as spouts to carry water clear of a wall. 

April, 2024's  Twelve-Letter Word of the month is:

Extravaganza--a lavish or spectacular show or event.

March, 2024's  Twelve-Letter Word of the month is:

Isomaltulose--a disaccharide carbohydrate composed of glucose and fructose. It is naturally present in honey and sugarcane extracts and is also produced ...
Source:  Google Search

February, 2024's  Thirteen-Letter Word of the month is:

Preponderance:  noun--the quality or fact of being greater in number, quantity, or importance.

January, 2024's  Nine-Letter Word of the month is:

Bulldozed:  past tense--cleared (ground) or destroyed (buildings, trees, etc.) with a  bulldozer.
 

December's Nine- and Ten Letter Words of the month are: 

Authentic:  Merriam-Webster word of the year for 2023 is “authentic.”  
Source:  NEW YORK (AP) — In an age of deepfakes and post-truth, as artificial intelligence rose and Elon Musk turned Twitter into X, the Merriam-Webster word of the year for 2023 is “authentic.” Nov 27, 2023.

Unspeakable: 

dreadful, awful, appalling, horrific, horrifying, horrible, terrible . . .

November's Thirteen-, Ten- and Six Letter Words of the Month

braggadocious:  (braggadocio, noun):   Boastful or arrogrant behavior.  Praising yourself or speaking too proudly about your own achievement or importance.

quintessential:  Representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class. 

rodomontade:  Boastful or arrogant behavior.

hubris:  arrogance, conceit.    

October's Nineteen-, NIne-, and Six Letter Words of the Month

electrohydrodynamic:  Electrohydrodynamic Thruster  -- vaneless ion wind generator -- device that generates electrical energy
anonymity:   state of being anonymous; lack of outstanding, individual, or unusual features; impersonality
animosity:   strong hostility
animus:  hostility or ill feeling; motivation to do something

August's Seven- and Eight Letter Words of the Month

cackler:  any of various insectivorous Old World birds with a loud incessant song
obstacle:  an object or event that prevents something else from passing or happening

July's Eight-Letter Word of the Month

ethereal:  delicate, too perfect for this world

June's Eight-Letter Word of the Month

quixotic:  unrealistic, impractical, exceedingly idealistic


May's Nine-Letter Word of the Month

escapades:  exciting, daring adventure


Aprils Nine-Letter Word of the Month

makeshift:  temporary substitute

March's Nine-Letter Word of the Month

bejeweled:  adorned with jewels

February's Two Words of the Month

force majeure:  Law: unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract

January's (2023) Nine-Letter Word of the Month 

obfuscate:   to render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible.   obfuscatory, obfuscated/es, obfuscating

Factoid:  Currently there are only 6 seven-letter words in the Big List beginning with the letter "x"; 13 beginning with "y"; and 17 with "z". 

September 3, 2023 Comments.  The distinction of spelling, meaning, and usage are listed for the purpose of preserving the English Language so that it remains precise and to avoid ambiguity in written and oral expression.  Formal communication should not become a guessing game filled with hidden meaning or obscure reference.  Write and speak at a level that can be clearly understood by the intended audience without resorting to the use of informalities.

Whereas slang and contemporary communication may be more colorful, expedient, dramtic, or emotional, it does not necessarily convey clarity of thought.  This is why formal writing and speech are used to avoid errors when discussing matters of great importance, e.g., scholarly works in science, engineering, medicine, law, religion, government, politics, finance, technology, and other research).

Nor should casual gibberish or comments be interspersed in formal communication, especially when presented to a wide audience.   For some, this becomes a distraction and could downplay the importance of the main message.

_____________________________________________________

May 16, 2023  Play Spellbound.  For anyone that likes to play the online game of Spellbound  here is a link to a free version.  It can be played without logging in if you prefer.  Spellbound is provided by the Washington Post:  Spellbound by Arkadium.

The object of the game is to type in as many words as you can from a list of 7 scrambled letters.  Words must be 3 to 7 letters in length.  The more words typed and longer words add up to total your game score.  It is very challenging and keeps you on your toes.

For "wordniks" like myself, I have accumulated a Big List  of  Seven-letter words over the past four or five years that came about as a result of my enthusiasm while playing Spellbound (See post below).

Spellbound used to be part of the game selection at Publisher's Clearing House (PCH Games).  It was discontinued a few years ago when PCH discontinued using the platform on which it was built.  The version linked above is slightly different and seems to work o.k. without logging in or turning off ad blocking.   The downside without login is your scores are lost after each play.  So if competition is not an issue, this method works fine.