Winnewaw

a person wearing a party hat

Winnewaw

n.
an unexpected burst of good news that only makes you skeptical, believing that every sudden rise in your fortunes must inevitably be accompanied by an impending fall, which leaves you feeling uneasy at the end of a really good day, waiting around for the punch line.

Middle English winne, joy + wawe, woe. Compare williwaw, a sudden blast of wind descending from the mountains to the sea. Pronounced “win-uh-waw.”

Amentalio

a person in a white dress, facing away

Lackout

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

Keta

a hand reaching through paper with a flower drawing

Lap Year

several people racing bicycles uphill in a forest

Nilous

a person standing at a bus terminal

Rialtoscuro

a blurry image of a light source