Nicholas Rushlow's Favorite Words (and a Killer Spelling Bee)

Yesterday we talked to sixth-grader Nicholas Rushlow, who finished 17th in the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee. At his home in Pickerington, Ohio, Nicholas maintains an impressive "word wall," festooned with many of the fascinating words he has learned while practicing for spelling bees. We asked Nicholas to share some of his favorites. And he has also created a Community Spelling Bee for us with even more "killer" words!

Sis·y·phe·an, adj.    |sisə|fēən

1. of or relating to Sisyphus
2. both extremely effortful and futile

• Etymology: Latin sisypheius, sisyphius sisyphean (from Greek sisypheios, sisyphios, from Sisyphos Sisyphus, in Greco-Roman mythology the cruel king of Corinth whose punishment in Hades was to roll up a hill a heavy stone that constantly rolled down again) + English -an
  

Brob·ding·nag·ian, adj.  |bräbdiŋ|nagēən

1. huge; relating to or characteristic of the imaginary country of Brobdingnag
2. unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

• Etymology: Brobdingnag, imaginary country inhabited by giants in Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift died 1745 English satirist + English -ian
  

glogg, n.  'glʊg, 'gləg

Scandinavian punch made of claret and aquavit with spices and raisins and orange peel and sugar

• Etymology: Swedish glögg, from glödga to burn, mull, from Old Swedish, from glödhoger, adjective, glowing, from glöth ember, glowing coal; akin to Old English glēd ember, glowing coal

flib·ber·ti·gib·bet, n.  |flibə(r)dē|jibət

a light-minded or silly restless person; especially : a pert young woman with such qualities

• Etymology: alteration of Middle English flepergebet, flypyrgebet
  

goo·san·der, n.  gü'sandə(r)

common merganser of Europe and North America

• Etymology: alteration of earlier gossander, probably from gos- (as in gosling) + bergander
  

cwm, n.  'küm

a steep-walled semicircular basin in a mountain; may contain a lake

• Etymology: Welsh, valley; akin to Greek kymbē drinking cup

chthon·ic, adj. 'thänik

of the underworld

• Etymology: chthonic from Greek chthon- earth + English -ic

neb·bish, n.  'nebish

(Yiddish) a timid unfortunate simpleton

• Etymology: Yiddish nebech poor thing (used interjectionally), of Slavic origin; akin to Czech nebohý wretched, Polish nieboe poor creature
  

pae·an, n. 'pēən

1. (ancient Greece) a hymn of praise (especially one sung in ancient Greece to invoke or thank a deity)
2. a formal expression of praise

• Etymology: Latin paean, hymn of thanksgiving especially addressed to Apollo, from Greek paian, from Paian, epithet by which Apollo was invoked in the hymn

zeug·ma, n. 'zügmə

use of a word to govern two or more words though appropriate to only one ("`Mr. Pickwick took his hat and his leave' is an example of zeugma")

• Etymology: Latin zeugmat-, zeugma, from Greek, literally, juncture, joining, from zeugnynai to yoke, join

pan·jan·drum, n. pan'jandrəm

an important or influential (and often overbearing) person

• Etymology: from Grand Panjandrum, burlesque title of an imaginary personage in some nonsense lines by Samuel Foote died 1777 English actor and playwright
  

pog·o·nip, n. 'pägəˌnip

a dense winter fog containing ice particles

• Etymology: Southern Paiute, from pagina- cloud, fog + -pi, n. suffix
  

ro·co·co, n./adj.: rə'kōkō

1. n. fanciful but graceful asymmetric ornamentation in art and architecture that originated in France in the 18th century
2. adj. having excessive asymmetrical ornamentation ("An exquisite gilded rococo mirror")

• Etymology: French, irregular from rocaille; from the prevalence of rocaille ornamentation in 18th century France
  

jack·a·napes, n. 'jakəˌnāps

someone who is unimportant but cheeky and presumptuous

• Etymology: Middle English Jack Napis, Jac Napes, nickname for William de la Pole died 1450 4th earl and 1st duke of Suffolk

Now try your hand at spelling these words and many other head-scratchers in Nick's Killer Spelling Bee!