Recently, salon.com posted an interesting article about the word “moist” and that studies show women really dislike this word. Salon points out that even though the word is used in a positive way to describe cake and soil, it is also associated with “female desire, fecundity and ripeness.” Some women may even think “yeast infection” when they hear this word.
Hence, it’s not surprising that this word might be unpopular with the ladyfolk.
Interestingly, if you look online, there’s a lot of information about word aversion. There’s even a Facebook group formed out of word disgust. This made me think about all the words I don’t like, and inspired this list. Add to it by using the talkback feature.
Words I don’t like:
Fecund. This word is used in the above copy to describe the unpopular word “moist,” but I personally have way more aversion to this one. It reminds me of “fecies.”
Gargoyle. This word is unpleasant to me. I think it reminds me of Gargamel, the sworn enemy of the Smurfs. Or maybe it reminds me of "gargle," another word I'm really not fond of.
Mortgage. I hate the silent “T” in this one.
Penal. OK, like most of us, I must be 8 years old at heart because when I hear the words “penal system” or “penal code” I just want to giggle.
Quaff. I like the meaning of this word but it’s too close to another word that I refuse to type out and define, but you probably know what I mean.
Sweetheart. Again, I like the meaning of this word, but it really bugs me because it looks like it should be pronounced "sweeth-eart."
Vestibule. This one sounds a little nasty to me. Maybe it’s the “bule” part that reminds me of “bile” or “boil.”
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
