10 Beautiful Words With Equally Beautiful Meanings From Across the World

Are you a nerd for words? Here are 10 Beautiful words from around the world with equally captivating meanings to delight your inner logophile(a lover of words.)

1. Kilig [kee-lig]

Origin: Tagalog (Philippines)

“The feeling of euphoria or ecstasy caused by an exciting or romantic experience.”

I’m pretty confident we’ve all experienced this at least once, if not multiple times, in our lives. That rush of joy or feeling of butterflies in our tummies when something exciting or romantic happens.

2. Komorebi [ko-mo-re-be]

Origin: Japanese 

“The expression used to describe the effect of sunlight as it filters through the trees.”

Nobody could possibly be as delighted as I am to have discovered this word. I’ve finally found a word to express the magical feeling I get when I’m out trekking and see magnificent rays of sunlight bursting through the trees.

3. Mångata [moon-gah-ta]

Origin: Swedish

“The glimmering, long road-like reflection of the moon long on a (usually large) body of water.”

This simple, beautiful word encompasses the Swedish words måne for “moon” and gata for “street.” 

4. Nefelibata [ne-fe-li-ba-ta]

Origin: Portuguese 

“A cloud walker. An individual who lives in the clouds of their own imagination or dreams. They do not abide by the rules of society, art, or literature.”

Do you know someone who refuses to play by the rules and lives in their own fantasyland, free of the confines of societal norms? Now you know what to call them! Or, if that person is you, Hey there!

5. Gigil [ghi-gil]

Origin: Tagalog

“The uncontrollable desire to pinch or squeeze something that is irresistibly cute”

That feeling you get when you see something absolutely adorable, such as a puppy wagging its tail or a baby giggling, and you totally want to squeeze its cheeks. Yes, there is a word for it!

6. Ensilumi [en-si-lu-mi]

Origin: Finnish 

“First Snow of the Season.”

The first snow of the season is a truly magical experience, and this word perfectly captures the essence of that feeling.

7. Sanglogsu [sangh-log-su]

Origin: Korean

“Evergreen. A tree or bush that has green leaves all year long.”

Where are all my Kdrama fans at? This one’s dedicated to you.

8. Petrichor [pe-trə-kȯr]

Origin: Greek

“A peculiar, earthy, usually pleasant odor associated with rainfall, particularly following a warm, dry period”

I’m sure I’m not the only one addicted to this smell like a drug. So, what exactly is the cause for this smell? The abundance of Geosmin is responsible for this pleasant yet strong scent of fresh rain. It’s a compound produced by certain bacteria, released in excess into the atmosphere when rain hits the ground.

9. Muditā [muh-dhi-tha]

Origin: Sanskrit

“Joy. Especially sympathetic or vicarious joy, or the pleasure that comes from delighting in other people’s well-being.”

A state that is hard to accomplish yet one that everyone should aspire to achieve. Above all, it is a feeling of pure and unselfish joy for someone or something, free of jealousy and bitterness of any sort.

10. Resfeber [race-fay-ber]

Origin: Swedish

“The restless race of the traveler’s heart before the journey begins, when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together.”

The only kind of anxiety I wouldn’t mind enduring. What about you?

Don’t forget to share with the community any beautiful words you know of in your language in the comments section below.

With love,

Ila