Thursday, November 10, 2005

101 Beautiful Words


Several months ago I ran across "The 70 Most Beautiful Words in the English Language," a lazy list of words compiled by the British Council (whatever that is). It's a really mediocre list, as punchless as British bread pudding. But it has a beautiful logo.

Not to be outdone, I concocted a personal list of 101 Beautiful Words. There is no order, priority, or hidden meaning. I just like they way these words take their place in my mouth, electrify me when I hear them, energize me when I read them, or otherwise canoodle my imagination. Most of them are common and simple words. I guess that's the beauty of them.


No words were harmed while constructing this list.

  1. Grace (amazing grace)
  2. Clarity
  3. Whiz-bang
  4. America
  5. Snowflake
  6. Yee Haw
  7. Granddaddy
  8. Chocolate (In Spanish: Chocolate)
  9. Buzz (when spoken by bees)
  10. Autumn
  11. Regale
  12. Dolphin
  13. Reconciliation
  14. Embrace
  15. Beatitude
  16. Poetic
  17. Aurora borealis
  18. Jesus (In Spanish: Jesus)
  19. Tiara
  20. Sparkle
  21. Tweak
  22. EspaƱol
  23. Flash 'n' Dash
  24. Epiphany
  25. USA! USA!
  26. Bewildered
  27. "Look, Mom!"
  28. "Dad! Watch what I can do!"
  29. Snickerdoodle
  30. Dawn
  31. Yucca
  32. Tender
  33. Bikini
  34. Synergy
  35. Create
  36. Preamble
  37. Phenomenon
  38. Phart
  39. Delight
  40. Roots and Wings
  41. Scintillating
  42. Ker-plunk
  43. Bamboozle
  44. Ice cream
  45. Dag-nab it!
  46. Cleavage
  47. Spring Training
  48. Discombobulate
  49. Cascade
  50. High-uppity
  51. Linguini
  52. Exhilarating
  53. Aura
  54. Speed
  55. Freedom
  56. Cracklin'
  57. "Dinner!"
  58. Friendship
  59. Snuggle
  60. "Love you, too."
  61. Compote
  62. Incredible
  63. Hope
  64. Paradigm
  65. "Some Coffee?"
  66. Holly
  67. Extraordinary
  68. Yaca-daca-daca!
  69. Dollop
  70. Sunset
  71. Rapture
  72. Lippitude
  73. Buoyancy
  74. Frolic
  75. Persnickety
  76. Rivulet
  77. Buffoon
  78. Gargantuan
  79. Monarch Butterfly
  80. Faith
  81. Princess
  82. Happy
  83. Oxymoron
  84. Lovely
  85. Bounding
  86. Lollygag
  87. Spat…and Shat
  88. Simplicity
  89. Babbling
  90. "Play ball!"
  91. Miel (In English: honey)
  92. 4tha July
  93. Laughter
  94. Wacky
  95. Sing-song
  96. Teetering
  97. What'n tarnation?
  98. Alabaster
  99. Muzzic (when played by bees)
  100. Frisky
  101. Feliz Navidad