It wasn’t an isolated incident either. On various occasions I was told off for using ‘deliberately clever’ - as one teacher sneered at me - words in high school. ‘Did you go through the dictionary and replace words?’, another asked with a straight face. I didn’t understand the problem, I was young, I was using one word when other people would circle around using many.

I didn’t go through a dictionary of course, my parents read compulsively, and were damned good at scrabble, they used words well and I learned from them.

As I didn’t get the issue this teachers had, I behaved like any sensible kid, I stopped using ‘clever words.’ Wonderful school system we have here in the UK, your differences will be stamped out, you will be assimilated. Eventually, many years later, I did rediscover a love for words and enjoy daft ‘word a day’ feeds like the one on http://www.dictionary.com and http://wordsmith.org/

Dilettante

Dilettante: an amateur; also, an admirer or lover of the fine arts.

Largess

Largess: generous giving; also, gifts of money or other valuables.

Doula

Doula: a woman who assists in childbirth.

* 4 references

Scion

Scion: a descendant; an heir.

* 1 reference

Posit

Posit: to postulate; also, to suggest.

* 1 reference

Apothegm

Apothegm: a short, witty, and instructive saying.

* 1 reference

Cogent

Cogent: appealing to the mind or to reason; convincing.

* 1 reference

Munificent

Munificent: very generous.

* 1 reference

Alacrity

Alacrity: a cheerful readiness, willingness, or promptness.

Salutary

Salutary: beneficial; also, healthful.

Jovial

Jovial: merry; joyous; jolly.

Titivate

Titivate: to smarten up; to spruce.

* 2 references

Probity

Probity: complete and confirmed integrity.

Canard

Canard: an unfounded or false report.

Imbue

Imbue: to dye; to instill profoundly.

Malaise

Malaise: a condition of uneasiness or ill-being.

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