Literary Words You'll Want To Know In many writing exercises, whether they be writing a job application, creating a speech, orbusiness writing, you will probably have been told to use everyday words and keep your language simple. That is often very sound advice, and helps keep communication simple and effective. In some contexts, though, you may wish to use a less common, more elevated word. This list of words below would largely be used in writing that was intentionally seeking a literary tone. That might be a poem, or (if you are writing fiction) in the dialogue of a literary character - or even apretentious one. On the other hand, you may simply want new words for language games, or hope to impress friends and family! Whatever the reason, the list below will offer literary equivalents for everyday words (behold for see; lightsome for nimble; dulcify for sweeten), terms relating to Greek mythology (Rhadamanthine, Stygian), and words with unexpected meanings (crapulent, for example). abode access adieu afar apace argosy arrant asunder atrabilious aurora bard barque bedizen beget behold beseech bestrew betake oneself a home an outburst of an emotion goodbye at a distance quickly a large merchant ship utter into pieces melancholy or bad-tempered the dawn a poet a boat dress gaudily produce (a child) see ask urgently and fervently scatter go to betide betoken blade blithe bosky brand brume celerity circumvallate clarion cleave to cockcrow coruscate crapulent crescent darkling deep, the dell dingle divers Dives dolour dome dulcify effulgent eld eminence empyrean ere erne espy ether evanescent farewell happen be a warning of sword happy covered by trees or bushes a sword mist or fog swiftness surround with a rampart or wall loud and clear stick fast to dawn flash or sparkle relating to the drinking of alcohol growing relating to growing darkness the sea a small valley a deep wooded valley of varying types a rich man great sorrow a stately building sweeten shining brightly old age a piece of rising ground the sky before a sea eagle catch sight of the clear sky quickly fading goodbye fervid fidus Achates finny firmament flaxen fleer flexuous fulgent fulguration fuliginous fulminate furbelow gird glaive gloaming greensward gyre hark horripilation hymeneal ichor illude imbrue impuissant incarnadine ingrate inhume inly ire isle knell lachrymal lacustrine lambent hot or glowing a faithful friend relating to fish the sky pale yellow jeer or laugh disrespectfully full of bends and curves shining brightly a flash like lightning sooty; dusky explode violently adorn with trimmings secure with a belt a sword dusk grassy ground whirl or gyrate listen gooseflesh; hair standing on end relating to marriage blood, or a fluid likened to it trick someone stain one's hand or sword with blood powerless colour (something) crimson ungrateful bury inwardly anger an island the sound of a bell connected with weeping or tears associated with lakes softly glowing or flickering lave lay lea lenity lightsome limn lucent madding mage main, the malefic manifold marge mead mephitic mere moon morrow, the muliebrity nescient nigh niveous nocuous noisome nymph orb orgulous pellucid perchance perfervid perfidious philippic plangent plash wash or wash over a song an area of grassy land kindness or gentleness nimble represent in painting or words shining acting madly; frenzied a magician or learned person the open ocean causing harm many and various a margin a meadow foul-smelling a lake or pond a month the following day womanliness lacking knowledge; ignorant near snowy noxious, harmful, or poisonous foul-smelling a beautiful young woman an eye proud or haughty translucent by some chance intense and impassioned deceitful and untrustworthy a bitter verbal attack loud and mournful a splashing sound plenteous plentiful plumbless extremely deep poesy poetry prothalamium a song or poem celebrating a wedding puissant powerful or influential pulchritude beauty purl flow with a babbling sound quidnunc an inquisitive and gossipy person realm a kingdom refulgent shining brightly rend tear to pieces repine be discontented Rhadamanthine stern and incorruptible in judgement roundelay a short, simple song with a refrain rubescent reddening rutilant glowing or glittering with red or golden light sans without scribe write sea-girt surrounded by sea sempiternal everlasting serpent a snake shade a ghost ship of the desert a camel shore country by the sea slay kill slumber sleep star-crossed ill-fated steed a horse stilly still and quiet storied celebrated in stories strand a shore Stygian very dark summer a year of a person's age supernal relating to the sky or the heavens susurration a whispering or rustling sound swain a young lover or suitor sword, the military power; violence sylvan wooded tarry delay leaving temerarious rash or reckless tenebrous dark; shadowy threescore sixty thrice three times tidings news; information toilsome involving hard work tope drink alcohol to excess travail painful or laborious effort troublous full of troubles tryst a rendezvous between lovers unman deprive of manly qualities vestal chaste; pure vesture clothing virescent greenish viridescent greenish or becoming green visage a person's face want lack or be short of wax become larger or stronger wayfarer a person who travels on foot wed marry welkin, the the sky or heaven whited sepulchre a hypocrite wind blow (a bugle) without outside wondrous inspiring wonder wont accustomed wonted usual wrathful extremely angry wreathe twist or entwine yon yore youngling zephyr yonder; that of former ties or long ago a young person or animal a soft, gentle breeze
