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.”

Future-Tense

a person looking at their reflection

Nemotia

a city with clouds of smoke

Aimonomia

close-up of a plant with lights glowing in background

Eftless

a person with hands pressed on a window

Offtides

close-up of a chromed metal object

Elosy

a blurry image of a person in a subway car

Arroia

people standing on a stage

Caucic

a close-up of a stone walking path

Boorance

a group of objects on a table

Aoyaoia

a person holding a guitar

Mogging Folly

a person sitting on a bench

Wollah

a person with shapes raining on them

Galagog

a person alone in a snowy desolate landscape

Moriturism

a person resting in the back seat of a car

Nodrophobia

close-up of a stained shirt

Suerza

a tunnel with a light emanating from the end

Beloiter

a person sitting at a slot machine

Angosis

a table full of food

Sayfish

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

Insoucism

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

Monachopsis

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

Latigo

aerial view of a city at night

Punt Kick

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

Rückkehrunruhe

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

Catoptric Tristesse

Cover image for the Catoptric Tristesse word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Epistrix

several doors standing in a dark room

Fool’s Guilt

Cover image for the Fool’s Guilt word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows