Dictionary of the Strange, Epic, and Beautiful: The Big Book of Cool Words

by Robin Devoe

Dictionary of the Strange, Epic, and Beautiful is a compilation of three previous

Dictionary of the Strange, Curious, and Lovely;

Epic English Words; and

Dictionary of the Rare, Creative, and Beautiful

Part dictionary and part carefully curated encyclopedia, this book offers a window into the breadth and depth of human experience and imagination, showcasing words with unique histories and meaning, or beauty of sound or appearance; other words are esoteric and deep – or strange and fascinating.

Some categories of words, names, and terms

Placenames (Pillars of Hercules, Arabia Felix, Doon Edin, Mare Tenebrosum & Riphean Mountains);

Zoology (quill pig, pink fairy armadillo & frantling);

Astronomy (Eddington luminosity, Venusian, Silurian hypothesis, Jovian trojans & Kreutz sungrazers);

Geopolitics (Perfidious Albion & Baltoscandia);

History (Sahelian kingdoms, sunlit uplands & Groom of the Stool);

Geometry (Penrose stairs & Villarceau circles);

Anatomy (brain sand & frenulum);

Archeology (Oldenburg Horn & Nebra sky disc).


Plus nautical, poetic, and literary terms

brave west winds & naufragous; person from Porlock & the cavalier poets; the Lost Generation & Erewhonian.

Also select slang words, such tactical chunder, snoutfair, molly wop, ghostshipping & grundle.

And interesting phrases bring owls to Athens; et in Arcadia ego; happy as a box of birds; dolce far niente; and up the wooden hills to Bedfordshire.

517 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2024