Words that don't sound like they mean!

[fridacakehole]

Tom Read Wilson just called Katherine Ryan 'effulgent' on Instagram.

It looks like such an ugly word (to me!) and was surprised to learn it means radiant.

What other words have surprising meanings to you?

Bucolic
Enervate

Inflammable to me should mean “un-flame-able”.
Also because flammable exists.
Dammit.

Impunity - sounds like it should mean the opposite of what it actually means.
It should mean punishment, not exemption from punishment.

Sounds like it means, not 'sounds like it should mean...'.

I think 'salubrious' sounds like it should mean the opposite of its actual definition.

The other way works too I guess.

Laconic - sounds as if it should mean laid-back, actually means terse (deriving from the ancient name for the Spartans, who were notoriously monosyllabic).

Circumspect, inchoate and effluvia

@LadyMonicaBaddingham

I think 'salubrious' sounds like it should mean the opposite of its actual definition.

Seconded

Thirded on “salubrious” - for years I thought this meant the opposite and have only relatively recently clicked!!

I always think benevolent is the same
as malevolent instead of being the opposite

@LadyMonicaBaddingham

I think 'salubrious' sounds like it should mean the opposite of its actual definition.

Oooh funny, because I think it sounds like celebrate or salute so it has positive connotations for me! Looks like I'm the only one though

egregious

It literally means standing out from the flock, exceptional, with a neutral meaning. I can remember when it was used positively. But now it's only negative, like heinous.

Pulchritudinous. Perhaps because in my head I associate it with pugilist.

Came to say salubrious, beaten to it!

Languishing.

Spendthrift

I was about 21 when I found what it means.

I thought it meant you were thrifty about spending. So very very careful with money. Then found out its the opposite 🤷‍♀️

Valetudinarian meaning a sickly person, but I think it reminds me of the word valour and should be for someone like a knight.