Even though 2025 has only just begun, we’ve reached a sort of “end” in Webb’s Weird Words: namely, the letter Z — as we finish our look at oddball vocab using X, Y and Z.
Despite the letter’s relative rarity in English, I found such an abundance of oddball Z-words that I’ve divided my end-of-the-alphabet list in two. We’ll begin this week with weird words featuring Z in the middle or at the end (or both!) — saving those that start with Z for our final installment in this short series.
Here’s a doZen:
Bumfuzzle (bum-FUZZ-ull, verb) – Terrific Southern slang meaning “to confuse or fluster.” Of uncertain origin; perhaps a blend of bamboozle and fuddle — or fuzzy.
Hizzoner (hi-ZAHN-ur, noun) – Another slang term — this one found only in the sprawling and idiosyncratic Collins English Dictionary. Meaning a U.S. mayor or judge, it is nothing more than a slangy respelling of “his honor.” Gotta love it!
Izzard (IZ-urd, noun) – Another informal term, this one an alternate name for the letter Z. According to the wonderful American Heritage Dictionary, this unusual term might be modeled on the Scottish ezed, which is in turn related to the better-known zed — both referring to our last letter!
Izzat (IZ-ut, noun) – Indian word meaning dignity, honor or prestige.
Katzenjammer (KAT-sen-jam-ur, noun) – Again from AHD: “a loud, discordant noise; a hangover; a state of depression or bewilderment.” From German, where it originally meant “cat-wailing” (i.e., caterwaul).
Readers of a certain age may recall the long-running “Katzenjammer Kids” comic, which ran in American periodicals from 1897 to 1949. Focused on a pair of rambunctious young brothers, it later morphed into “The Captain and the Kids,” persisting well into the 21st century.
Mezzotint (MET-so-tint, noun) – A type of engraving and printing that involves scraping or roughening a metal plate, usually with many small pits; the resulting images are, according to Wikipedia, able to represent “half-tones” — that is, not fully black or white; as such, the mezzotint — originating in the 17th century — marked a huge step forward in printing visual art. Mezzo, incidentally, is a Latin word meaning middle, medium or half — as in intermezzo and mezzo-soprano.
Pozzuolana (pot-suh-LAH-nuh, noun) – Type of volcanic tuff or ash used to make hydraulic cement. (OK, I didn’t even know tuff was a word till I found this definition at Dictionary.com!) The ancient Romans made use of this substance, finding much of it near the town of Pozzuoli — hence its name.
Putz (PUTTS, noun) – Yiddish word meaning fool, idiot or jerk. Ironic rendering of a German term for “ornament” — and thus, some Webb readers may know it from Pennsylvania Dutch, where it refers instead to a Nativity display (see Online Etymology Dictionary).
Razzmatazz (RAZZ-muh-taz; or raz-muh-TAZ, noun) – Actions or speech intended to confuse or deceive (e.g., double-talk). Also: any flashy, extravagant, showy display — often one lacking real substance. Essentially a synonym for razzle-dazzle, it can also mean commotion, gaiety, vigor or zing.
Schemozzle (shuh-MAHZ-ul, noun) – A confused situation — a muddle or mess; also, an argument or quarrel (Merriam-Webster). Another Yiddish term, it is essentially an inversion of the Hebrew mazel, meaning “luck” — as in mazel tov.
Slivovitz (SLIV-uh-vits, noun) “A dry colorless plum brandy” (AHD).
Strelitzia (struh-LITZ-ee-uh, noun) – A group of perennial, brightly colored flowering plant species native to South Africa — including the bird-of-paradise. According to Wikipedia, the genus was named in honor of the British queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
Join us next time when you can, shall we say, catch up on your Z’s — hopefully without actually falling asleep!
