Writer and globe-trotting mom Anjali Chawla is fascinated with travel and learning about different world cultures. Every place she visits “makes its own little abode in her heart.” She is also a logophile – a lover of exquisite and unusual words. Here are some words she’s learned on her travels that she thinks are the most beautiful, both in meaning and in sound, or eutony.
Mellifluous (adj.)
Pronunciation: muh-li-floo-uhs
Origin: Latin
Definition: A sound that’s pleasing and sweet to hear
Retrouvailles (n.)
Pronunciation: ruh-troov-eye
Origin: French
Definition: The happiness of meeting again after a long time
Sirimiri (n.)
Pronunciation: si-ri-mi-ri
Origin: Spanish
Definition: A light rain; A fine drizzle; Stronger than mist but less than a shower
Petrichor (n.)
Pronunciation: PET-ri-kuhr
Origin: Greek
Definition: The mild and pleasant smell or scent of earth associated with the first rain after a dry spell
Morii (n.)
Pronunciation: mor-ee
Origin: Coined by John Koenig in “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows”
Definition: The desire to capture a fleeting moment
Resfeber (n.)
Pronunciation: RACE-fay-ber
Origin: Swedish
Definition: The restless race of the traveler’s heart before the journey begins, when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together; A travel fever that can manifest as an illness
Nefelibata (n.)
Pronunciation: ne-fe-lE-‘ba-ta
Origin: Portuguese
Definition: Literally translates to “cloud-walker”; Colloquially “daydreamer”; One who lives in the clouds of their own imagination or dreams; One who does not obey the conventions of society, literature, or art.
Heliophilia (n.)
Pronunciation: hE-lE-O-‘fil-E-a
Origin: English
Definition: Desire to stay in the sun; Love of sunlight
Shinrin-yoku (n.)
Pronunciation: shindin-yoku
Origin: Japanese
Definition: The practice of going deep into the woods for its restorative benefits; The Japanese way of forest bathing as nature therapy for peace of mind, restful sleep, and physical health
Rasāsvāda (n.)
Pronunciation: ra-sas-vah-da
Origin: Sanskrit
Definition: Literally translates to appreciating the taste and flavor of juice; Perception of pleasure; The taste of bliss in the absence of all thoughts
Dive into Anjali Chawla’s full list of 100+ Beautiful Words in Different Languages on her wonderful Travel Melodies website.
Photo depicting Shinrin-yoku by Luis del Río from Pexels
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