Navel-gazing is mostly used negatively, as the gazer often doesn’t act on their reflections, but “omphaloskepsis” is just the kind of over-the-top word needed to add some levity to the observation. “I need to quit my omphaloskepsis and start the laundry!”

Why this word? The layman’s translation of “omphaloskepsis” is “navel-gazing,” a term coined to describe a fixation with oneself, or with just one issue instead of a larger picture at hand. From the Greek, “omphalós” means “navel” and “sképsis” means “perception, reflection.”

Word Origin Greek, 1920s

Example Sentences “If the committee gets bogged down with omphaloskepsis, we’ll never get to a vote.” “I could spend all weekend lost in omphaloskepsis if I don’t make a plan.” “He’s guilty of omphaloskepsis when it comes to making little decisions, but he has no problem with the big ones.”

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲 Omphaloskepsis ˌɒmfəloʊˈskɛpsɪs Noun Contemplation of or meditation upon one’s navel; navel-gazing. (Figuratively) Ratiocination to the point of self-absorption.

Why this word? Tenebrific is an adjective that describes something with a gloomy atmosphere, or something that causes gloom or darkness. A dark, shadowy path in the woods is tenebrific, as are the clouds that cover up the sun when a storm rolls in. It comes from the Latin tenebrae meaning darkness

Example Sentences “The storm rolled in with a tenebrific sky that felt almost cinematic.” “His writing leans tenebrific, full of dark and heavy imagery.” “The movie had a tenebrific tone that made me feel unsettled.” Word Origin Latin, late 18th century

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲 Tenebrific ˌte-nə-ˈbri-fik Adjective Gloomy. Causing gloom or darkness.

For example, “Heaven forfend that the Wi-Fi goes down for 10 minutes,” or “Heaven forfend we actually cook dinner on a Friday night instead of ordering takeout.”

while “defend” has a connotation of actions taken while under attack. The idiom “heaven forfend,” sometimes heard as “heaven forbid,” is often said in a joking manner about something that shouldn’t or wouldn’t happen.

Word Origin Middle English, 14th century Why this word? “Forfend” is closely related to the similar-looking word “defend.” Both come from the Middle English word “fenden,” meaning “to protect.” “Forfend” has a connotation of preventing attacks,

Example Sentences I always keep an extra charger in my backpack to forfend a dead phone battery while traveling I back up my files to both a cloud drive and my computer to forfend any tech disasters Wearing noise-canceling headphones is the best way Ive found to forfend my focus in a busy office

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲 Forfend (ˈ)fȯrˈfend Verb (Archaic) Forbid. To ward off; prevent. Protect, preserve.

In German, someone capable and efficient is “tüchtig,” while in Iceland, “dygðugur” means “virtuous.”

Why this word? While “doughty” appeared in Middle English, similar adjectives can be found in other European languages. The Danish “dygtig” means “virtuous and proficient,” “duktig” is “efficient and clever” in Swedish, and in Dutch, a formidable person is “duchtig.”

Example Sentences “The stories of knights tell tales of doughty and courageous adventures.” “His actions showed that he was doughty and loyal in the face of difficulty.” “Despite challenges this year, your doughty accomplishments earned you the scholarship. Word Origin Old English, 11th century

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲 Doughty ˈdoudē Adjective Brave and persistent.

“Apotropaic” is an adjective that describes something intended to ward off evil, or more positively, to bring good luck. It comes from the Greek “apotrópaios,” meaning “averting evil, that should be averted, ill-omened.”

Why this word? While it may be an uncommon word, you’re likely familiar with apotropaic practices such as knocking on wood, tossing salt over your shoulder, carrying a lucky coin, or wearing special socks for good luck.