Unfamiliar English Words and Their Meanings:
1. Sesquipedalian (adj.) - characterized by the use of long words.
* Example: "His sesquipedalian vocabulary made the presentation seem pretentious."
2. Petrichor (n.) - the pleasant earthy scent after rain.
* Example: "The petrichor after the storm filled the air, making everything smell fresh and clean."
3. Mnemonic (adj.) - relating to or assisting memory.
* Example: "The acronym ROYGBIV is a mnemonic device for remembering the colors of the rainbow."
4. Weltanschauung (n.) - a comprehensive conception of the world and of human life.
* Example: "Her world view was shaped by her upbringing and her experiences."
5. Ephemeral (adj.) - lasting for a very short time.
* Example: "The ephemeral beauty of the cherry blossoms made her appreciate their fleeting nature."
6. Quixotic (adj.) - idealistic and unrealistic.
* Example: "His quixotic dream of saving the world was admirable, but perhaps a little too ambitious."
7. Sanguine (adj.) - optimistic or positive, especially in a bad situation.
* Example: "Despite the challenges ahead, she remained sanguine about the future."
8. Serendipity (n.) - the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
* Example: "Finding the perfect book at a used bookstore was a serendipitous encounter."
9. Schadenfreude (n.) - pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.
* Example: "She felt a twinge of schadenfreude when she saw her rival's project fail."
10. Zeitgeist (n.) - the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.
* Example: "The zeitgeist of the 1960s was one of rebellion and change."
11. Malarkey (n.) - nonsense, foolish talk.
* Example: "He dismissed her explanation as pure malarkey."
12. Ineffable (adj.) - too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words.
* Example: "The beauty of the sunset was ineffable."
13. Maudlin (adj.) - excessively sentimental.
* Example: "His maudlin speech at the wedding made everyone uncomfortable."
14. Flibbertigibbet (n.) - a frivolous, flighty, or eccentric person.
* Example: "She was a real flibbertigibbet, always flitting from one thing to the next."
15. Ersatz (adj.) - artificial or synthetic; substituting for something natural or genuine.
* Example: "They served ersatz coffee at the conference."
These are just a few examples of unfamiliar English words, and there are many more to explore. Learning new words can enhance your vocabulary, improve your understanding of the world, and make you a more effective communicator.