Aimonomia

close-up of a plant with lights glowing in background

Aimonomia

n.
the fear that learning the name of something—a bird, a constellation, an attractive stranger—will somehow ruin it, inadvertently transforming a lucky discovery into a conceptual husk pinned in a glass case, leaving one less mystery fluttering around in the universe.

French aimer, to love + nom, name. A palindrome. Pronounced “eym-uh-nohm-ee-uh.”

Spinning Playback Head

silhouette of a person looking out a window

Ludiosis

Cover image for the Ludiosis word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Anchorage

a person's arm extended over river rapids

Covalent Bond

Cover image for the Covalent Bond word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Nementia

Cover image for the Nementia word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Fygophobia

Cover image for the Fygophobia word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows