© 2024 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

University Lists Words That Deserve Wider Use

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep with a chance to expand your vocabulary. Wayne State University is promoting expressive words that could be used more. For example, there's couth.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

OK, I've heard of uncouth, but...

INSKEEP: Well, couth is the opposite - cultured, well-mannered. Frangible means fragile. Nugatory is worthless.

MARTIN: Yep.

INSKEEP: And then there's eucatastrophe.

MARTIN: Eucatastrophe?

INSKEEP: Yeah. Catastrophe is where the story goes wrong. Eucatastrophe is where everything turns out all right. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

KCUR serves the Kansas City region with breaking news and award-winning podcasts.
Your donation helps keep nonprofit journalism free and available for everyone.