How big is your vocabulary? Most native speakers of English only have a limited vocabulary of a meager 20,000 words- and most of the time we use less than half of that. Learning new words not only benefits you in general, it adds spice to any paper you might have to type up, you can actually sound smart insulting some one using your expanded vocabulary.

So how big is the English Language? According to the Language Monitor the English language has as many as 1,025,109.8 words (http://www.languagemonitor.com/number-of-words/number-of-words-in-the-english-language-1008879/)

So how can you learn new words? How do you attain this proficiency, or even come close to that number?

I have a bona fide method myself that has passed the test of time. I really just read any book (those old Philosophy books are perfect) I’ll underline any obscure or strange word, look them up and write them down- eventually I use them on a daily basis. Knowing allot of words is more than just recognizing, its the application of these words that put you into real perspective as a writer.

Try using some of these words for next paper, blog post, etc. you have to write- You would be surprised just how powerful these words can be.

Flaccid- soft, hanging loosely

Disseminating- to spread or disperse

Generative-relating to or capable of producing or reproducing

Effervescent- giving off bubbles, fizzy

Unequivocally- leaving no doubt

Resplendent-Attractive and impressive

Befitting- gerund or present participle

Supplementally- added to something else to make it complete

Primogenitory- First born or eldest child of the same parents

Procure- obtain, especially with care

Hanker- to feel a strong desire to do something

Ignominious- deserving or causing public disgrace

Brooded- to think deeply about something that makes one unhappy

Multitudinous- very numerous

Toil- to work extremely hard

Abscond- to leave hurriedly

Accouterments- articles of clothing

Affable- Easy and Pleasant to talk to, approachable

Agrestic- rural, rustic

Aplomb- self confident

Apolaustic- devoted to enjoyment

Bereft- deprived of something

Boeotian- stupid, dull

Chauvinistic- aggressively or fanatically patriotic

Chthonic- of or related to the underworld

Concatenate- to connect or link in chain

Dearth- a scarce supply

Defenestrate- to throw out the window

Dollop- a shapeless mass or blob

Euphony- agreeable sound

Exiguous- meager

Facetious- playfully Jocular, Humorous

Other Resources

http://www.thesaurus.com/ – The best Online Thesarus

http://www.vocabula.com/vrbestwords.asp – A fine collection of rarely used words

Closing

Learning new words requires devotion, and above all improves your capability to create readable works- it adds more description, it lights the path and guides the reader. So never stop, in fact- learn a new word every day.