Five books to expand your vocabulary

We perceive the world with words and our vocabulary is like a key to a better understanding of literally everything. The average vocabulary of an adult English speaker is around 40,000 words, though we actively use only about 20,000 of them. The best way to enrich our vocabulary is obviously by reading. We’ve gathered here the top five books that will grant you a bigger vocabulary.

Anything by William Shakespeare.

We have previously addressed the vestige left by Shakespeare — he coined around 1,700 words in the English language. This is without even mentioning common phrases we now use daily. Any play you pick will likely astonish you with some new words to add into your active vocabulary.

Ulysses by James Joyce

Ulysses is a massive and a challenging kind of literature. There were even guides created to help explain how to read and understand this book. Yet it is ranked in the top-100 of the greatest English novels of all time. It sports 30,030 unique words such as: omphalos (a hub of something), ineluctable (unavoidable), and bedraggle (wet). Joyce is also credited with transforming many words and phrases, such as botch, into new forms and usages.

The Harry Potter books by J.K.Rowling

Yes, it may seem a bit childish but believe us — these books are going to incorporate plenty of new words into your daily routine. Furthermore, it will be entertaining and relaxing. Everything you wanted after a long day at work. Rowling’s creative use of language is a defining feature of the novels. She really likes old-fashioned words, obscure phrases, and Latin vocabulary. Here are some examples of her beloved words: foist (force onto another), besmirch (smear so as to make dirty or stained), cosset (treat with excessive indulgence), popinjay (talkative person), spell Riddikulus (turned something bad into a humorous form).

Moby Dick by Herman Melville.

This is another novel enriched with more than 17,000 unique words. Melville’s language is lyrical and dignified, and many words that might not be familiar can be understood in context. The glossary for Moby Dick includes words like abstemious (characterized by abstinence), effulgent (radiant, brilliant), puissant (powerful), and insatiate (never satisfied).

Animal Farm by George Orwell

The author uses short and clear sentences making it appealing to the readers and eventually helping with enhancing daily vocabulary. The language of the book is enriched with unique words: bon mot (a witty remark), capered (skip or dance in a playful way), and spinney (small area of trees and bushes).

What are your favorite books?