Have you ever experienced serendipity? Do you have a nemesis? Are you a flibbertigibbet? Unless you know what these words mean, you won’t know the answer to these questions!
And if you don’t know what these words mean - don’t worry! It’s estimated that there are 171,146 words in use in the English language, plus around 47,156 obsolete words. That’s a lot of words! No wonder you don’t know all of them, especially if you’re not a native speaker.
However, if you’re as passionate about learning languages as we are (and if you’re reading our blog, then you must be), you know how fun it can be to learn new words in a foreign language. Having a vast vocabulary can not only help you express yourself better, but it’ll also make you sound more eloquent.
So, in this list, we’ve gathered over 170 unique, cool, and beautiful English words that you will love.
Beautiful English words and their meanings
While it’s often said that French and Spanish are the most romantic and beautiful languages, English also has its fair share of beautiful words. You may already know a couple, such as solitude, euphoria, or labyrinth.
If you want to expand your vocabulary with beautifully-sounding words, below you’ll find a list of what we believe to be the most beautiful English words, accompanied by their meanings.
Beautiful English words
While the beauty of a word is subjective and may differ for each of us, many English words are undeniably mellifluous (yes, that’s one of them). This list is the quintessence of the most beautiful English words.
| English | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | / əˈrɔːrə / | The dawn in the early morning |
| Bungalow | / ˈbʌŋɡələʊ / | A type of house with a sloppy roof |
| Chatoyant | / ʃəˈtɔɪənt / | Light reflecting in a gemstone |
| Demure | / dɪˈmjʊə / | Reserved, modest, shy |
| Denouement | / ˌdeɪˈnuːmːmənt / | Resolution of a narrative |
| Effervescent | / ˌefəˈvesənt / | Lively, full of energy, bubbly |
| Elegance | / ˈelɪɡəns / | High quality of style and class |
| Elixir | / ɪˈlɪksə / | A (magical) potion |
| Eloquence | / ˈeləkwəns / | Ability to beautifully express oneself |
| Ephemeral | / ɪˈfemərəl / | Short-lived |
| Epiphany | / ɪˈpɪfəni / | A life-changing realization |
| Eternity | / ɪˈtɜːnɪti / | A limitless amount of time |
| Ethereal | / ɪˈθɪərɪəl / | Heavenly, not from this planet |
| Eudaemonia | /ˌjuːdɪˈmɒnɪə / | The state of being lucky |
| Euphoria | / juːˈfɔːrɪə / | A state of extreme happiness |
| Extravagance | / ɪkˈstrævəɡəns / | Excessive elaboration or lack of restraint in spending money |
| Felicity | / fəˈlɪsɪti / | Happiness |
| Idyllic | / ɪˈdɪlɪk / | Picturesque, beautiful, almost fairytale-like |
| Incandescent | / ˌɪnkænˈdesnt / | Emitting light as a result of being heated |
| Incendiary | / ɪnˈsendɪəri / | Very hot or inflammatory |
| Ineffable | / ɪnˈefəbl̩ / | Difficult to accurately describe |
| Infatuation | / ɪnˌfætʃʊˈeɪʃn̩ / | A really strong desire to be close to someone, mostly romantically |
| Labyrinth | / ˈlæbərɪnθ / | A complex set of passageways |
| Lagoon | / ləˈɡuːn / | A body of water |
| Lithe | / laɪð / | Slim and full of grace |
| Love | / ˈlʌv / | A beautiful feeling of affection |
| Lullaby | / ˈlʌləbaɪ / | A melody that mothers sing to their babies to get them to sleep |
| Luminescence | / ˌluːmɪˈnesns / | Light produced by electric, chemical, or physiological means |
| Lyrical | / ˈlɪrɪkl̩ / | Beautifully said |
| Melancholy | / ˈmeləŋkɒli / | A feeling a pensive sadness |
| Mellifluous | / meˈlɪflʊəs / | Beautifully sounding |
| Miraculous | / mɪˈrækjʊləs / | Something that is a miracle |
| Nefarious | / nɪˈfeərɪəs / | Wicked, evil |
| Nemesis | / ˈneməsɪs / | A rival; an arch-enemy |
| Oblivion | / əˈblɪvɪən / | A state of unawareness of what’s going on around you |
| Onomatopoeia | /ˌɒnə(ʊ)matəˈpiːə/ | Something that uses the sounds it makes to form its name |
| Opulence | / ˈɒpjʊləns / | Luxury, abundance |
| Paradox | / ˈpærədɒks / | Something that contradicts itself |
| Peace | / piːs / | A state of freedom in the mind |
| Picturesque | / ˌpɪktʃəˈresk / | Visually pleasing, beautifully looking, for example a landscape |
| Plethora | / ˈpleθərə / | An abundance of something |
| Pristine | / ˈprɪstiːn / | Extremely clean |
| Propinquity | / prəˈpɪŋkwɪti / | Another word for proximity |
| Quintessence | / kwɪnˈtesns / | The most perfect example |
| Rainbow | / ˈreɪnbəʊ / | An arch of colours in the sky |
| Renaissance | / rɪˈneɪsns / | The period between the 14th and 17th centuries |
| Ripple | / ˈrɪpl̩ / | A small movement or wave |
| Sanguine | / ˈsæŋɡwɪn / | Optimistic and positive |
| Scintilla | / sɪnˈtɪlə / | A trace or spark of something |
| Sequoia | / sɪˈkwoɪə / | A type of tree |
| Serendipity | / ˌserənˈdɪpɪti / | A chain of events that occurs in a favorable way |
| Sibilant | /ˈsɪbɪl(ə)nt/ | Making a hissing sound |
| Silhouette | / ˌsɪluːˈet / | An outline of a figure |
| Solitude | / ˈsɒlɪtjuːd / | A state of isolation or loneliness |
| Sonorous | / səˈnɔːrəs / | A deep and full sound |
| Sumptuous | / ˈsʌmptʃʊəs / | Rich, luxurious |
| Surreptitious | / ˌsʌrəpˈtɪʃəs / | Clandestine |
| Syzygy | /ˈsɪzɪdʒi/ | An alignment of 3 celestial bodies |
| To cherish | / tu ˈtʃerɪʃ / | To care about something and cultivate it with affection |
| Tranquility | / trænˈkwɪlɪti / | Another word for peace |
| Umbrella | / ʌmˈbrelə / | The thing you hold to protect yourself from the rain |
| Wanderlust | / ˈwɒndəlʌst / | A strong desire to travel |
| Wherewithal | / ˈweəwɪðɔːl / | Strength and tenacity |
| Wistfulness | / ˈwɪstfl̩nəs / | Yearning or desire |
| Zenith | / ˈzenɪθ / | The highest, most successful point of a situation |
Beautiful English phrases, sayings, and idioms
Beautiful words lead to beautiful phrases and expressions. English is full of literal and metaphorical expressions that inspire us, bring us joy, or make us wonder about the meaning of life.
Below is a list of some of the most beautiful English phrases, sayings, and expressions.
| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A change of heart. | To suddenly change your mind. |
| Adventure is the champagne of life. | Adventure is what makes life bubbly! |
| Every cloud has a silver lining. | Even a negative situation has something positive. |
| It takes two to tango. | Two people are responsible for a situation. |
| The calm before the storm. | A period of unusual calm that usually means something bad is coming. |
| To be on cloud nine. | To be in a wonderful situation. |
| To burn the midnight oil. | To stay up all night, usually studying or working. |
| To spread one’s wings. | To reach one’s full potential. |
| To take one’s breath away. | To astonish someone. |
| To touch someone’s heart. | To make someone feel sympathy. |
| To wear your heart on your sleeve. | To be very transparent with your emotions and feelings. |
| Variety is the spice of life. | In life, one needs variety to avoid boredom and monotony. |
| Water under the bridge. | A difficult situation that passed and no longer affects you. |
| What goes around, comes around. | Another version of “you reap what you sow.” |
Cool English words that will make you chuckle
The English language is full of strange, funny words. Some of them are so odd that you can’t help but wonder how they became part of the language! Others sound so funny that they’ll certainly make you chuckle. Love a bit of gibberish? You might enjoy being flabbergasted when you discover the longest words in English here!
| English | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Argle-bargle | /ˈɑːɡ(ə)lˌbɑːɡ(ə)l/ | Meaningless chatter or written words |
| Bodacious | /bəʊˈdeɪʃəs/ | Attractive; with a curvy body |
| Brouhaha | / ˈbruːhɑːhɑː / | An over-excited reaction to something, usually a conflict or commotion |
| Bumbershoot | /ˈbʌmbəʃuːt/ | Just a cool word for “umbrella” |
| Bumfuzzled | / bumfuzzled / | Very confused |
| Bumfluff | /ˈbʌmflʌf/ | The first beard grown by an adolescent |
| Cattywampus | / cattywampus / | Something that is askew or isn’t directly in front of something |
| Collywobbles | / ˈkɒlɪwɒbl̩z / | A weird feeling in your stomach |
| Cromulent | /ˈkrɒmjʊlənt/ | Acceptable or adequate |
| Fanty-sheeny | / fanty-sheeny / | Fancy or ostentatious |
| Flabbergasted | / ˈflæbəɡɑːstɪd / | To be shocked or surprised by something |
| Flawsome | / flawsome / | A person who accepts their flaws and is awesome regardless |
| Flibbertigibbet | / ˌflɪbətɪˈdʒɪbɪt / | Someone who can’t stop talking (usually silly things) |
| Funambulist | / fjuːˈnæmbjʊlɪst / | A tightrope walker |
| Gibberish | / ˈdʒɪbərɪʃ / | Meaningless words |
| Gobbledygook | / ˈɡɒbldɪɡʊk / | Incomprehensible or meaningless language |
| Hoosegow | /ˈhuːsɡaʊ/ | Jail |
| Hullabaloo | /ˌhʌləbəˈluː/ | An unpleasant uproar |
| Inkling | / ˈɪŋkl̩ɪŋ / | A slight suspicion |
| Kakorrhaphiophobia | / kakorrhaphiophobia / | Fear of failure |
| Kerfuffle | / kərˈfəfəl / | A commotion, a conflict, a fuss |
| Lackadaisical | / ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkl̩ / | Lacking enthusiasm, very lazy |
| Lollygag | /ˈlɒlɪɡaɡ/ | To procrastinate, to spend time aimlessly |
| Mollycoddle | / ˈmɒlɪkɒdl̩ / | To treat someone in a very indulgent way |
| Nudiustertian | / nudiustertian / | The day before yesterday |
| Peripatetic | / ˌperɪpəˈtetɪk / | A nomad; someone who travels from place to place |
| Ragamuffin | / ˈræɡəmʌfɪn / | A person who wears scrappy clothes |
| Sozzled | / ˈsɒzl̩d / | Very drunk |
| Taradiddle | / ˈtærədɪdl̩ / | British word for a petty lie |
| Tittynope | / tittynope / | A small amount of leftovers |
| Wassail | / ˈwɒseɪl / | Mulled wine |
| Whippersnapper | / ˈwɪpəsnæpə / | A confident and cheeky person |
| Winklepicker | / winklepicker / | A shoe with a sharp-pointed toe |
| Woebegone | / ˈwəʊbɪɡɒn / | Looking sad |
Popular slang words in English you need to know
If you’re an internet person who scrolls through Instagram and watches TikTok, you might have seen some words you thought you knew used in a completely different context. While some vocabulary may seem like some sort of a Gen Z code to you, it’s actually quite fun to play around with once you understand it.
With this list of the most popular slang words in English, you’ll be fluent in the TikTok lingo in no time. You can also find 321 more fun American slang expressions here.
| English | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bae | / ˈbaɪ / | A romantic partner, “baby” in a romantic context |
| Extra | / ˈekstrə / | Excessive, over the top |
| Flex | / fleks / | To show off |
| Ghost someone | / ˈgəʊst ˈsʌmwʌn / | To stop talking to someone abruptly and without explanation |
| Hangry | / ˈhæŋɡri / | When someone is angry because they are hungry, they are “hangry” |
| I’m dead | / aɪm ded / | They’re not actually dead, they’re just dying of laughter |
| Lit | / lɪt / | Cool, fun |
| Lowkey | / ləʊkiː / | Secretly |
| Mood | / muːd / | Used to reaffirm something that is relatable |
| No cap | / ˈnəʊ kæp / | No lie, for real |
| Salty | / ˈsɔːlti / | Angry over something minor |
| Shook | / ʃʊk / | Shocked |
| Slay | / sleɪ / | To do an excellent job at something or to look amazing |
| Spill the tea | / spɪl ðə tiː / | To gossip |
| Yeet! | / ˈjiːt / | An expression of excitement |
And even more unique English words…
Did you know that English has a word for throwing someone out of the window? You’ll be surprised to find out that there are lots of English words that even native speakers aren’t always aware of!
From clinomania to petrichor, you’re about to discover a whole new world of unique words in English that you had no idea existed.
| English | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Abibliophobia | / abibliophobia / | A phobia of running out of things to read |
| Acatalectic | /əˌkatəˈlɛktɪk/ | Having a full number of syllables |
| Aesthete | / ˈiːsθiːt / | Someone sensitive to the beauty of art |
| Ailurophile | /ʌɪˈljʊərəˌfʌɪl/ | A person who loves cats |
| Angst | / æŋst / | A state of deep anxiety, usually related to existential matters |
| Apricity | / apricity / | The warm rays of sun in the winter |
| Berserk | / bəˈsɜːk / | Going crazy with anger |
| Borborygmus | /ˌbɔːbəˈrɪɡməs/ | The sound your stomach makes when you’re hungry |
| Cacophony | / kæˈkɒfəni / | A noise made out of terrible sounds |
| Clinomania | / clinomania / | An obsessive desire to stay in bed |
| Conundrum | / kəˈnʌndrəm / | A difficult problem to solve |
| Defenestration | /ˌdiːfɛnɪˈstreɪʃ(ə)n/ | Throwing someone out of the window |
| Discombobulated | /ˌdɪskəmˈbɒbjʊleɪtɪd/ | Confused |
| Epeolatry | / epeolatry / | Admiration of words |
| Erinaceous | / erinaceous / | Something (or someone) that looks like a hedgehog |
| Eutony | / eutony / | Pleasantness of the word’s sound |
| Heliophilia | / heliophilia / | Love of the sun; a desire to stay in the sun |
| Iridescent | / ˌɪrɪˈdesnt / | Producing a display rainbow-like colors |
| Jentacular | / jentacular / | Anything related to breakfast is “jentacular” |
| Lamprophony | / lamprophony / | The act of speaking loudly |
| Languor | / ˈlæŋɡə / | Lethargy; weakness of body and mind |
| Lassitude | / ˈlæsɪtjuːd / | A state of physical or mental lack of energy; tiredness |
| Limerence | / limerence / | A state of being infatuated with another person |
| Logophile | /ˈlɒɡə(ʊ)fʌɪl/ | A person who loves words |
| Macrosmatic | / macrosmatic / | Having a good sense of smell |
| Mixologist | /mɪkˈsɒlədʒɪst/ | A person who mixes drinks |
| Mondegreen | /ˈmɒndəɡriːn/ | Incorrectly hearing or interpreting a song’s lyrics |
| Nadir | / ˈneɪdɪə / | The lowest point in a situation |
| Panacea | / ˌpænəˈsɪə / | A remedy or solution that could fix any problem |
| Pauciloquent | / pauciloquent / | Someone who says very little |
| Petrichor | /ˈpɛtrʌɪkɔː/ | The smell of earth after the rain |
| Pluviophile | / pluviophile / | Someone who loves rain |
| Raconteur | / ˌrækɒnˈtɜː / | Someone who’s very good at telling stories |
| Somnambulist | / sɒmˈnæmbjʊlɪst / | A person who sleepwalks |
| Sonder | / sonder / | The realization that each passerby has a life full of experiences, emotions, and problems, just like you |
| Supine | / ˈsuːpaɪn / | Lying on one’s back, facing upwards |
| Tergiversation | / ˌtɜːdʒɪvəˈseɪʃn̩ / | The art of twisting around someone’s statements |
| To absquatulate | / tu əbˈskwɒtʃʊleɪt/ | To leave without saying goodbye |
| To inure | / tu ɪˈnjʊə / | To get used to something unpleasant |
| Ulotrichous | / ulotrichous / | With curly hair |
| Vellichor | / vellichor / | The wistfulness of used bookshops |
| Xertz | / xertz / | Eating food or drinking something greedily, caused by excessive hunger or thirst |
Feeling effervescent?
Learning English words can leave you feeling light-headed! But there’s no need to be lackadaisical or woebegone about it. Everyone can learn new beautiful words in English with a bit of practice, even if it’s a lot of gobbledygook.
We hope that this list of the weirdest, funniest, and most beautiful English words will turn you into a true logophile with an ineffable epeolatry.
Keep up the free English vocabulary fun here.
Expand your knowledge of English
