Nyctous

a person walking in the middle of a street

Nyctous

adj.
feeling quietly overjoyed to be the only one awake in the middle of the night—sitting alone with a laptop and a cup of tea or strolling down the center line of an abandoned street—taking in the world like an empty theater between productions, stripped down to a simple black box, open to be whatever you want it to be.

From Nyctocereus, a genus of cactus that blooms only at night. Pronounced “nik-tuhs.”

Nullness

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

Amuse-Douche

Cover image for the Amuse-Douche word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Momophobia

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

Anaphasia

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

Burn Upon Reentry

Cover image for the Burn Upon Reentry word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Adronitis

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

Hemeisis

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

Mimeomia

a person wearing an animal onesie garment

Hobsmacked

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

Poggled

a person studying a book with a magnifying glass

Hailbound

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

Aimonomia

close-up of a plant with lights glowing in background

Anticious

a group of men in hats looking at elevated signage

Mottleheaded

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

On Tenderhooks

Cover image for the On Tenderhooks word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Emorries

a magnifying glass over photos and books

La Cuna

Cover image for the La Cuna word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Evertheless

a person floating in water

Aulasy

a blurry image of a house on the road

Licotic

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