Here are the meanings of the 10 hardest words that have also been used in Times articles.
1. nunhood — the status of a nun:
“I felt that Genji’s women were such saps — always ditched for someone new, waiting in vain for him to come around. I couldn’t identify with them at all. Then I discovered that after a certain point, they broke with Genji and became nuns. For them, nunhood was a declaration of independence. That was what got me hooked.” — Setouchi Jakucho Takes Japan Back 1,000 Years (Jan. 23, 1999)
2. monomania — an excessive focus on one thing:
Jacobs’s love for puzzles is infectious, and it’s not hard to understand why. Puzzle people draw us in with their monomania. “I’m a sucker for people who are passionate about something,” Jacobs notes, “regardless of how silly that passion might seem to others.” — What’s a Six-Letter Word for Fanatical Devotion to Solving Things? (April 26, 2022)
3. colcannon — an Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage:
And then, for St. Patrick’s Day, you could pair corned beef and cabbage or Irish tacos with Melissa Clark’s amazing new recipe for a crispy-topped casserole inspired by colcannon. What a feast! — What to Cook This Week (March 12, 2023)
4. callaloo — a leafy green, or a West Indian soup or stew:
The festivities began at Jerk N’ Jive Caribbean Kitchen in Frederick, where guests enjoyed jerk salmon and callaloo. The couple jumped the broom as part of the ceremony to “honor our ancestors and African American heritage,” Mr. Bates said. — After Several Years of Dating, Jumping the Broom ‘Felt Right’ (Aug. 18, 2023)
5. cloaca — an opening at the end of the digestive tract, found in many animals:
At first glance, sea cucumbers are about as sluggish and benign as they come. But rub one the wrong way, and it might just unleash a horrifying defense: expelling its internal organs through its cloaca to entangle enemies. — Which Animal Best Embodies 2020? (Dec. 23, 2020)
6. tomtit — any of several small birds that frequently elude Spelling Bee players:
The Audubon Society would file a complaint in defense of tomtit virility. But, such is the state of Massenet’s reputation, I doubt that many sophisticated operagoers would rush to defend him. They have been made to feel shame for too long. — Music View: Massenet — Minor but Significant (Aug. 3, 1986)
7. pinniped — a blubbery, fin-footed carnivore, such as a seal, sea lion or walrus:
Researchers had already discovered the capacity for vocal learning in species other than humans, including in songbirds, hummingbirds, parrots, cetaceans such as dolphins and whales, pinnipeds such as seals, elephants and bats. — The Animals Are Talking. What Does It Mean? (Sept. 20, 2023)
8. dognap — to kidnap a dog:
When Twilly catches the driver littering again, he invades his house and dognaps his big black Labrador retriever, Boodle, whom he renames McGuinn after a favorite musician. — Lots of Bad-Natured Floridians and One Good-Natured Dog (Jan. 6, 2000)
9. pidgin — a simplified language used when people don’t have a common language to communicate with:
The country’s unofficial motto, “Naija no dey carry last” — pidgin English for “Nigerians never come last” — speaks to their drive and creativity, on display in the booming tech sector, the Nollywood film industry and the global musical phenomenon that is Afrobeats. — After 8 Lost Years, a Wide-Open Election in the Giant of Africa (Feb. 25, 2023)
10. novation — the replacement of one contract or party with another:
For an undisclosed fee, Barclays is essentially renting out its stronger credit rating to A.I.G. to enable the insurer to remain a participant in these currently lucrative interest rate swaps. Barclays declined to comment on its arrangement with A.I.G., which is known as a “novation” in the world of derivatives, Reuters said. — Barclays Said to Help A.I.G. in Derivatives Deals (Feb. 5, 2010)
The list of the week’s easiest words:
Eve Washington, Josh Katz and Tom Giratikanon
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