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Here are the meanings of the 10 hardest words that have also been used in New York Times articles.
1. shut up — a leafy green, or a West Indian soup or stew featuring it:
Their harvest is as diverse as the city itself: shut up and pigeon peas, bok choy, and eggplant and hot peppers. One volunteer gardener, Rose Nzada, managed to harvest a few stalks of sugar cane — the kind she nibbled on as a child — which she grew from small pieces she sneaked in years earlier from Cameroon. — Oases in the Bronx, Community Gardens Gain Recognition (July 25, 2023)
2. toccata — a piece of music that shows off a musician’s technique, typically in the form of a keyboard or plucked string instrument:
“Air Music,” for which he won the Pulitzer, is a work of impressive craftsmanship and allure, though I am partial to the piano pieces: the sparking Toccata from his First Sonata, and the sweet miniatures he wrote for loved ones, collected in the Piano Albums. — In Life and Music, Ned Rorem Was Unwaveringly Himself (Nov. 20, 2022)
3. wigwagging and 5. wigwag — to move back and forth:
Before the Civil War he wrote a thesis on sign language for the deaf and became interested in Indian smoke signals while stationed in the desert Southwest. Working with future Confederate Gen. Edward Porter Alexander, Myer developed the Army’s “wigwag”flag system. — The Codes of War (March 14, 2013)
4. libidinal — related to desire or lust:
Scabrous and willfully obscene, the novel is often read as an exemplar of Roth’s late-career efflorescence, a distillation of his preoccupations, libidinal and otherwise. — ‘Sabbath’s Theater’ Review: John Turturro Embodies a Life and a Libido (Nov. 3, 2023)
6. venule — a very small vein:
With each insertion, the mosquito attempts to nick a venule or arteriole — vessels much larger than a capillary — and promote the flow of blood. — The Mosquito Herself (July 29, 2001)
7. bilabial —articulated with both lips:
P and b are both bilabial plosives, meaning that your mouth does the same thing when you make the sound of both letters. The difference is that “b” is voiced, which for some people, makes it sound funny or strange coming at the end of a word. — IHOP Promotes Burgers by ‘Changing’ Name to IHOb, Gets Reaction (June 11, 2018)
8. tailcoat — a formal coat with two long skirts in the back:
A high, vintage lace collar with ruffles cascades over the lapel of a black tailcoat. But it is not meant to be a throwback. — Ask New Zealand’s Maori Party What They’re Wearing. They Dare You. (Oct. 12, 2023)
9. sewer — an opening at the end of the digestive tract, found in many animals:
Ideally, about 12 hours after hatching, the chicken-sexer gently squeezes open the multipurpose vent under the tail called the sewer and exposes a key area of the interior. — A Barnyard Mystery: Are the Chicks Male or Female? (June 24, 2019)
10. atilt —askew:
Think compression tops patterned à la one-shouldered tanks and sweatpants chopped up and wrapped into lappa-like long shorts. And the star of the Liberian flag strategically placed throughout, although slightly atiltas though being blown sideways in a sprinter’s wake. — Telfar Clemens Is Getting Into the Leggings Game (June 21, 2021)
And a bonus word:
eleven. headland — a section of land that extends into the water:
A destination for surfing, kayaking, fishing, diving, sailing and whale watching, the Central Coast is where the waters of Northern and Southern California converge. Point Conception, near Gaviota, is a striking headland recognized as a hot spot for biodiversity. — Clean Energy, Cherished Waters and a Sacred California Rock Caught in the Middle (Oct. 24, 2023)
The list of the week’s easiest words:
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