Words Which Don’t Sound Like Their Meaning
Some words have meanings that just don’t fit with the way they sound. Here are 5. But the good news? They’ll all make you sound pretty darn clever…
Intractable
Many people assume that this word means defiant or inflexible, and with its plosive and harsh k and T sounds, it’s understandable.
But rather than meaning obstinate or adamantine, from the 16th century Latin 'tractabilis' meaning ‘to handle,' intractable actually describes that which is hard to control or manage.
Example: "No matter how hard I brushed it and how much gel and spray I applied, my intractable hair could not be straightened."
Crepuscular
This word sounds to me like an adjective to describe some grim, pestilential slobbering monster, the likes of which you might find in a Stephen King film. Or if not this, Crepuscular conjures up images of some type of horridly infected abscess.
Its plosives and sibilance might sound sinister, but from the Latin word 'Crepusculum,' literally meaning 'twilight,' it’s actually a word that describes something quite attractive: the pretty and atmospheric period of dusk.
Example: "Many people think a fox will wait until dark until it searches for food, but it will often be bold enough to start in the crepuscular hours."
Baleful
Baleful is a word that to my ears sounds if not gentle, at least somewhat melancholic. However, despite its soft consonants, it’s a word that sits happily alongside 'toxic' and 'destructive’, meaning something that is threatening or dangerous, coming from the Old English word 'bealu' meaning 'evil.'
Example: “There was a sinister and unsettlingly baleful atmosphere in the shadow-filled library.”
Fungible
Let’s face it, fungible sounds like a squishy mushroom.
But, it has a decidedly non-fungal and un-squishy meaning. The word fungible - or more specifically non-fungible - has had a real resurgence this decade thanks to the recent phenomenon of NFTs (non-fungible tokens).
What is a non-fungible item?
NFTs are one-of-a-kind assets that can’t be replicated or imitated. As a result, they’re often rare, and worth substantial sums of money. This is why NFTs are so-called, because they’re items such as digital art that, just like a physical piece of art like the Mona Lisa, can’t be reproduced, as it’s a one-off and therefore sought after creation.
But fungible is not a modern word. It comes from a 17th century Latin phrase 'fungi vice,' meaning 'to serve in place of' or 'substitute.’
Example: "The staff were afraid to raise any grievances to the boss of the company, because they knew he saw staff as easily replaceable. To him, employees were very much fungible company assets.
Gauche
This word sounds rather ’exotic,' but remember, we use a lot of words from other languages as if they’re English, seldom stopping to notice their distinctly continental sound. Examples of these loan words (words we borrow and absorb into our vocabulary from other languages without translation) include fiancée, entrepreneur and stiletto.
Gauche sounds like it should describe someone with grace, style or something with a sweeping, enigmatic quality, whereas in reality it’s a word meaning the opposite; gauche denotes someone lacking in sophistication and sensitivity.
Example: "During the date, he didn’t ask me any questions, didn’t offer to pay for dinner, and he kept looking his phone. I thought my ex was gauche, but this guy took it to a whole new level!"
Coup de grâce
As above, this French loan phrase sounds melodic and delicate with its almost soothing phonetics. But, its meaning is far from delicate. Meaning 'blow of mercy' or 'stroke of grace,' a Coup de grâce is a ruthless or even fatal act that brings something or someone to an end - but, it’s often an act that stops someone’s suffering or brings to a close a deteriorating state of affairs.
A Coup de grâce can be an effective and interesting plot device, as it means we often see characters who commit the most heinous act of ending someone’s life, but for essentially well-meaning or compassionate reasons.
The best example of Coup de grâce in literature? Read Of Mice and Men and prepare to blub. 😭
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