Extinct words? U.S. university hopes new year will bring back old words

With a goal of bringing words back from the brink of extinction, one U.S. university has released its top 10 list of "beautiful words" they'd like to see people actually use in 2020.

Cachinnate, coruscate and gewgaw all made the list, but likely have little meaning to most of us. Wayne State University's Word Warriors hope to change that with the 11th year of this infamous list.

"This time of year, you hear a lot of news about which words to banish forever or which slang words people are tired of hearing," said Chris Williams, assistant director of editorial services at Wayne State University. "We thought there might be a nicer way to improve language."

The Word Warriors hope some, or all, of these long-lost words will be reintroduced into everyday life. The university received about 50 submissions from around the world for words that have fallen out of use — perhaps rediscovered in a book.

Some of the unfamiliar words that made the list include cachinnate, which means to laugh loudly. Coruscate means to flash or sparkle. And gewgaw means a worthless, showy trinket or decoration.

Williams said many of these words fell out of favour likely because people prefer brevity.

"We prefer words that are a little bit quicker, a little more familiar where you don't have to search for their meaning, especially if you're tweeting someone or texting someone," he said.

Here's the full Word Warriors Top 10 list from Wayne State University:

• Luculent (lü-kyə-lənt)

Clear in thought or expression.
The interviewee was luculent and personable.

• Mullock (mələk, mu̇l)

Rubbish, refuse, dirt.
As he dug through the pile of mullock, Todd cursed himself for once again throwing his keys away.

• Perendinate (puh-REN-di-nayt)

To procrastinate for a long time, especially two days.
He received the order a month ago but perendinated on the work until 48 hours before the deadline.

• Redolent (redlənt)

Reminiscent or suggestive of, like a scent.
The distillery was filled with a sweet, almost cloying scent, redolent of the farm silos of my youth.

• Seriatim (sirēˈādəm,ˌsirēˈadəm)

Taking one subject after another in regular order; point by point.
I will address the issues you raised seriatim.

• Somnambulant (sämˈnambyələnt)

Resembling or characteristic of a sleepwalker; sluggish.
The Monday after daylight saving time began, the office parking lot was filled with somnambulant employees doing their best to lurch to work.

• Velleity (vel·le·i·ty)

A wish or inclination not strong enough to lead to action.
Greg imagined getting off the couch and running a marathon, but his desire for exercise remained a velleity.

• Cachinnate (kakəˌnāt)

To laugh loudly.
The kids were supposed to be in bed, but I could hear them cachinnating down the hall well past midnight.

• Coruscate (kôrəˌskāt,kärəˌskāt)

(Of light) to flash or sparkle.
The water was still that afternoon, the sunlight coruscating off what little waves existed.

• Gewgaw (ɡyo͞oɡô)

A worthless, showy bauble.
Don't waste your money on such gaudy gewgaws.