I’m afraid another inexcusably late reply, Caroline. (See below reply to Kay)

So delighted your children love unusual words. Actually, children do like trying out long words they don’t understand when they’re little, but as we grow older we seem to think it’s showing off or trying to be ‘posh’ if we use an unusual word. But as a writer I think we owe it to ourselves to be a little adventurous now and again.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sorry this message is so very late, Kay, but somehow it slipped my notice. So pleased you don’t think it’s showing off to get the exact word. If we don’t use our wonderfully wide vocabulary – the richest in the world, I believe – the words will simply become extinct.

Yes, I should have owned up that I was eavesdropping, but it was enlightening, so I think I’ll keep it my little secret. Might learn some more interesting stuff in the future!

Thank you for posting!

Well done, you. And a pity you did not get to have the discussion with your husband.

It was strange, Bec, as I had loads of retweets but so far only your comment!

Personally, I adore words I’ve never come across. I would only use them sparingly, and naturally, but when I read a word I don’t know I look it up. You can usually tell pretty much what it means in the context but it’s extremely satisfying to get the exact definition.

Thanks for getting in touch.