Weird Science Words

Science Dictionary

Here are some weird science words. Be careful how you use them.

Auscultation—Listening. Especially listening to the sounds of the internal organs, as with a stethoscope.

Borborygmus, pl. borborygmi—Rumbling and gurgling noises from the intestines. Stomach "growling".

Bromhidrosis—Body odor, B.O. From the Greek bromos, a stench, and hidros, sweat.

Cacophony—Jarring, discordant sound. Cacophonous: having a harsh, discordant sound. From the Greek kakophnos, kakos, bad+ phōnē, sound. Kakos goes back to one of the oldest words we still use, the Indo-European root kakka-, to defecate.

Cacodyl—The arsenic group (CH₃)₂As, or a poisonous oil (As₂(CH₃)₄) with a strong garlicky odor. Same root as cacophony.

Emesis, pl. emeses—The act of vomiting

Eructation—Belching, burping

Flatus—The gas that comprises a belch or fart

Formication—A sensation that feels like insects crawling on the skin, a type of paresthesia. From formica, Latin for "ant".

Googol—The number 10 raised to the power 100 (10¹⁰⁰), written out as the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros. Not to be confused with "Google", a trademark of Google Inc.

Mastication—chewing

Micturation—Urination; needing to pee

Osculant—Intermediate in characteristics between two similar or related taxonomic groups. Closely adhering or joined; embracing

Osculation—Kissing; a kiss

Oscitancy—the act of yawning

Pandiculation—The act of stretching and yawning at the same time.

Radicle—A small root, specifically the part of a plant embryo that develops into the root. Not to be confused with "radical", meaning the root (e.g. of a word), at the root, the mathematical root sign (√) or a highly reactive atom, molecule or person. Nor with "ridicule".

Sternutation—Sneezing

Stertor—The sound of snoring

Syzygy—Lots of meanings in different sciences (and in poetry, rhetoric etc.) generally having something to do with being paired, joined, aligned or something. From the Greek zugon, yoke

Vomiturition—Forceful attempts at vomiting without bringing up the contents of the stomach; retching

Vomitus—Vomited matter

Wamble—To turn or roll (said of the stomach), an upset stomach, nausea


Your assignment: Use all these words in a sentence.

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This list is revised or updated from time to time.