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"Flibbertigibbet" And 9 More Silly-Sounding Insults For Your Enjoyment!

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A quote often attributed to Oscar Wilde says "A gentleman is one who never hurts anyone's feelings unintentionally." Now, we want to double down on this phrase and say that we should always try to avoid hurting someone’s feelings.

The entries in this article should be only used in jest, and you should only share them with someone who you know won’t be offended by them. In any case, some of these words sound so silly that there’s a pretty small chance anyone will take them seriously.

Keep on reading if you are looking for a new and fancy way to let someone know they are being a little cranky.

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This word sounds almost adorable, but it is actually another way to say one of the most popular insults in the English language. Poltroon is a 16th-century word that was used to call someone a coward, but nowadays, you might call someone a chicken for the same effect. Curiously, both words are connected etymologically: The Latin root to poltroon, pullus is also the root for the English word pullet (a young hen) and, of course, poultry.

Frankly, if Marty McFly had said "Nobody calls me poltroon" at the end of Back to the Future II, we probably wouldn’t quote that line as much as we do.

Image: Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦

We know what you are thinking, but sadly, a crepehanger is not a place to hang delicious, freshly-made crepes. And yes, we were bummed about it too. On the bright side, this is actually a perfect example of what this word means. A crepehanger is a killjoy, a person who always takes a pessimistic view of things.

The origins of this insult are still unclear, but some believe it comes from a mourning practice of sewing black crepe paper onto clothing items like veils and hats. Therefore, a crepehanger would be someone whose pessimistic, and bleak demeanor is fit for a funeral.

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Try saying this word three times fast. As silly as it sounds, slubberdegullion is one of the harshest insults on this list. It is derived from the English dialect word slubber, meaning "stain" or "filth", which in turn comes from an outdated Dutch word that means "to walk through mud." Accordingly, the insult slubberdegullion is used to describe a dirty scoundrel or rascal, or someone as unpleasant as walking through mud.

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Image: Girl with red hat

Being called a blabbermouth might be a bit harsh, especially when you are trying to lightly tease that chatty coworker with whom you enjoy wonderful talks by the watercooler. Well, you might want to try the word blatherskite next time: it might be as harsh, but it is uncommon enough that your coworker might think you are just trying to sound fancy.

Blatherskite is used to describe a person who foolishly talks too much, and it comes from the Scots compound word blather skate, in which the word skate is used to describe a deplorable person.

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We have all felt cantankerous at times. Waking up extremely early, having no good snacks at home, or having to work late are all things that might make us feel grumpy or cranky. And someone might call us up on that.

They probably won’t use this old-fashioned adjective, but cantankerous is basically an 18th-century way to refer to a difficult person, or someone difficult to deal with. The origins of this word are mysterious, but many believe that it comes from a combination of the Middle English word contack, meaning "contention", and the words rancourous and cankerous.

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Need a cheeky and lighthearted way to call your bald uncle the next Thanksgiving? You might want to try calling him a pilgarlic. This 16th-century word literally means peeled garlic and it is humorously used to describe bald-headed men since a bald head resembles a clove of peeled garlic. Over time, pilgarlic has also been used to describe someone being looked down upon with humorous contempt, regardless of the amount of hair on their head.

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Like the expression "a bull in a china shop", fustilugs is an archaic word used to describe a clumsy person. This word might be derived from the verb "to lug", which means to drag a heavy object like a suitcase around.

So, the next time someone sarcastically claps at you for dropping a plate on your favorite dinner, you might disarm them by loudly embracing your fustilugs side.

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Smatchet sounds like a word straight out of a Dr. Seuss book. Can’t you just picture a colorful creature on the cover of a book called something like "A Smatchet Took My Latchet"? In any case, while this word sounds almost whimsical, it is used to describe a rather unpleasant and rude person.

You can call someone a smatchet if they don’t apologize for bumping into you on the street, or for kicking into your seat during a long flight. Chances are, no one will fault you for it.

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We end this list with the silliest-sounding word we could find and, considering this article includes the word "slubberdegullion", this is no small feat.

Flibbertigibbet comes from the Middle English word flepergebet, which means a gossip or a chatterer. However, the word has evolved to describe a fickle, or flighty person. The one responsible for this connotation to the word might be the Bard himself: Shakespeare used "flibbertigibbet" as the name of a devil in his play King Lear.

Strangely accurate

Warning: once you learn these strange words, you’ll start using them

You know those moments when you struggle to explain something simple, like a feeling, a habit, or a situation, and you think, "How is there no word for this?" Well, surprise: there usually is. English is packed with oddly specific words that describe everyday life with uncanny accuracy. Some are practical, some are funny, and some feel almost too honest. Let’s meet a few that might sound strange at first but will feel very familiar once you get to know them.

We talk about tomorrow all the time, but oddly enough, we rarely give the day after tomorrow a proper name. That is where overmorrow comes in. It is a neat, old word that means exactly that, no extra explanation needed. It used to be part of everyday English, and honestly, it feels like we lost something useful when it faded away.

Just like English once had a word for the day ahead, it also had one for the day behind us. Nudiustertian means the day before yesterday. It sounds grand and a bit theatrical, especially for something so ordinary. Still, it does the job beautifully and makes casual conversation sound far more distinguished than necessary.

Now let’s move from calendars to something far more comfortable: the bed. Clinomania describes that powerful urge to stay under the covers, even when you know you should get up. It is not about being lazy so much as being deeply committed to comfort. If mornings have ever felt like negotiations, this word gets you.

Of course, once you finally leave the bed, another challenge appears: actually getting things done. Fudgel refers to pretending to work while accomplishing very little. People have been fudgeling for centuries, which is oddly comforting. It turns out that "looking busy" is an ancient skill, not a modern invention.

And then there are moments when someone appears busy not by working, but by talking. Bloviate means speaking at great length without saying much of substance. Long speeches, endless stories, and conversations that go nowhere all qualify. The word itself feels inflated, which makes it a perfect match, don’t you think?

Bloviating often goes hand in hand with another familiar habit: giving strong opinions without much knowledge. An ultracrepidarian is someone who does exactly that. The term has been around for ages, which suggests people have always had thoughts on things they barely understand, and have never been shy about sharing them.

Sometimes, listening to an ultracrepidarian makes you want to do one thing only: leave. And there are many ways of leaving, but this one feels quite appropriate. Absquatulate means to make a sudden exit, often to avoid discomfort or trouble. It has a playful sound, but the impulse behind it is universal. We have all wanted to disappear quietly at least once.

Of course, not every uncomfortable moment sends us running. Sometimes it settles right in the stomach. Collywobbles describes that nervous, fluttery, slightly uneasy feeling we get when something feels off. The word is light and bouncy, which helps soften a sensation most people would rather avoid.

And when that uneasy feeling spreads, you might start to wamble. To wamble is to feel unsteady or unsettled, whether it is shaky legs or a queasy stomach. It is one of those words that sounds exactly like the feeling it describes, which makes it surprisingly satisfying to say. Try it out!

Let’s wrap it up with a word you have probably needed at least once! The word discombobulate means to be confused or thrown off, usually in a harmless, everyday way. Missed plans, mixed messages, or a sudden change can all discombobulate us. It sounds dramatic, but the experience is wonderfully ordinary.