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.”

Lilo

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

Punt Kick

Cover image for the Punt Kick word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Nemotia

a city with clouds of smoke

Routwash

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

Adomania

a person riding a horse

Solla, Solla, Solla

a hand reaching out for plant tendril