Looking for new words

[BodyButter]

It's estimated that there are 500,000 words in English. Native-speakers know around 30,000 of these words and use just 5,000 of them in daily usage.

If you want to know what a word means, you can look it up in a dictionary. If you want a word that is similar to a word you know, you can find it in a thesaurus.

What if you want to find a word for something? I really enjoyed watching Arrival because it's one of those films that makes you think about how we see life. I figure that there must be a word in English for an experience that makes you think about life but when I Googled it, I got links to inspiration quotes.

Is it possible to reverse-dictionary a word? Have I finally discovered something that can't be Googled?

 

[kefkat]

If you google reverse dictionary you will find loads on. I have just done it. Is that what you were looking for?

 

[BodyButter]

Thanks, Kef. I found a reverse dictionary but it didn't have what I was looking for. Either the word is obscure or it doesn't exist in English.

 

[The Fear]

isn't contemplative the right word ?

 

[sirdennis]

[youtube=M92QzPjgbag]

 

[The Fear]

Yeah, err... thanks for that sirdennis! :2:

 

[BodyButter]

The Fear - 10/1/2017 00:49

isn't contemplative the right word ?

It's definitely similar to the word I'm looking for but I'm not sure you'd describe a film a film as contemplative. 'I watched a contemplative film last night' doesn't sound right to me but maybe that's because I've never heard it before.

 

[The Fear]

Perfectly good use of the word in my opinion.

Or I watched a great film that made me contemplate last night'

But think the contemplative film does fit.

I'll ponder if there are other words... I do love words... (Not the Bee Gees sirdennis ffs!) :17:

It's possibly that there isn't one word, maybe more a phrase to fit what you are thinking?

A thought provoking film that made me stop and contemplate...

etc

 

[kefkat]

How about the words ruminate or muse

 

[The Fear]

It's the same as contemplative really, ruminative film.

A film that made me muse.

As said, he's really looking for a phrase not a single word that fits how BB seems to want the sentence to work.

All of the words I would say work in a sentence .. muse being the one that fits the worst sound wise (to me)

Same as gave me pause for thought, made me reflect etc.

 

[sirdennis]

The Fear - 9/1/2017 16:45

Yeah, err... thanks for that sirdennis! :2:

I thought I would contribute.

 

[Villan Of The North]

Surely this is a simple as "thought-provoking"

 

[JuanPabloAngel]

BodyButter - 9/1/2017 11:41

there must be a word in English for an experience that makes you think about life ?

"Near-death"? :17:

 

[kefkat]

JuanPabloAngel - 9/1/2017 23:22

BodyButter - 9/1/2017 11:41

there must be a word in English for an experience that makes you think about life ?

"Near-death"? :17:

:19: :1: :19: :1: :19: I choked on my scone then

 

[BodyButter]

Villan Of The North - 10/1/2017 05:35

Surely this is a simple as "thought-provoking"

Yes, thought-provoking fits similarly to contemplative. I'm looking for a word for an experience that makes you think specifically about life or existence.

 

[Villan Of The North]

Well you could relate it to the philosopher, Descartes, in terms of his reflections on life and us being no more or less than our personal experiences of life (the old, "I think therefore I am" line), in which case the word you are looking for is Cartesian.

 

[Villan Of The North]

kefkat - 10/1/2017 02:09


:19: :1: :19: :1: :19: I choked on my scone then

Is that a euphamism?

 

[Villan Of The North]

And I pressume that "pensive" is about as right as contemplative.

 

[JuanPabloAngel]

The word I was thinking of was 'introspective' but that doesn't exactly cover what you're asking does it?