Pulchritudinous: Wacky Words

Pulchritudinous

Have you ever heard such a word?? Such a WACKY word!!?? Awhile back, a couple friends and I were discussing words….and some that may or may not be “understandable.” The actual word we were discussing was beauteous, which is kind of understandable, but our friend thought there surely was a better word to use….. So, I thought I’d dig out my phone and look up some other choices!

(AND just so you know, I am NOT an English teacher or anything of the sort…. Just in case you thought this was a vocabulary test. Ha!)

Beauteous: the poetic/literary word for beautiful. Ok… kind of what I thought.

Are not the first spring blooms beauteous?

There were quite a few interesting words I found that day…. some connected, some not. But the word of words was the P word: PULCHRITUDINOUS! And maybe I’m only showing my ignorance, not knowing what this fantastic word meant, or sounded like. I don’t know, but I DO know it was a learning experience for sure!!

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PULCHRITUDINOUS

Here it is….first, the pronunciation of said word: from the dictionary… /ˌpəlkrəˈto͞odənəs/. OR here’s a couple of different ways, for those of us that can’t remember what all those doo-dads mean… [puhl-kri-tood-n-uhs], OR [pull-kri-toood-nus]

Now, are you ready for the wacky definition? Straight from the Merriam-Webster: “having or marked by pulchritude.” Yes, that really is what it says!!! How is that for an explanation!?! NOW we know what it means! To be fair, it does eventually (a few lines down), give the definition: “physical comeliness.” ….but do I really KNOW what that means? (I think I’m trying to be difficult!)

OK, here is a REAL definition — one we can understand without poking anymore buttons: “an adjective that means physically beautiful or attractive.” Straight from Dictionary.com. OR…here’s another one and I don’t know who said it: “breathtakingly beautiful or physically stunning, despite it’s harsh industrial sound.”

I do know it’s roots are Latin, so it has a Shakespeare vibe…. (RUN!!!) But even so, I sure thought it was a far more entertaining choice than beauteous! Even if it is a round-the-corner-down-the-lane-across-the-river-and up the hill type of word that means the exact same thing!

Is it better to just say plain ol’ beauteous, or is it better to go round-the-corner-down-the-lane-across-the-river- and say the exact same thing, but with FAR more personality!? What do you think?

Now, I think that PULCHRITUDINOUS…is geared towards human beings, but I also think it is fun to describe so many other things…. Like my Rooster, Arthur, for example….”Arthur is so pulchritudinous.” Sounds good, right?

He IS isn’t he??! Even if my photo is a bit fuzzy….

And speaking of Arthur, he had a questionable beginning—his name used to be Agatha!! You can read about it here. He is a new-to-me breed: Partridge Chantecler, a hardy breed, made in Canada, for their tough winters. Being part Wyandotte, he was VERY slow to mature, which made naming him interesting, because I couldn’t TELL what he was for quite a while!

Or how about my beloved San Juan Mountain range…… it is nothing short of pulchritudinous!! They are kind of far away in this photo, but, glorious, none the less!

Obviously, there are so many things that could use this wacky word — like sunsets and wheat blowing in the wind, a bright blue sky with brilliantly white clouds floating in it…. The list goes on and on, once you get over the funny part, and KNOW what it means.

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Tell me….did you already know about this word? Am I the only one that didn’t know of it?

Well, thanks for being here, and listening to my chatter! You go have a pulchritudinous day, and come again!

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Good Thoughts

“Pulchritude—beauty where you would least suspect it, hidden in a word that looked like it should signify a belch or a skin infection.” — Zadie Smith, White Teeth