The name game

Who knew that the corner of your eye actually had a specific name? Or that a word exists to describe doctors’ illegible handwriting? You will, after reading this!
Aglet

The plastic covering on the end of a shoelace is an aglet. They make it easy for laces to wave through your shoes without unravelling. In ancient Rome, wealthy people made their aglets out of metal, not the plastic of today. (Of course, for fans of the 1980s Tom Cruise film Cocktail, they will always be known as “flugelbinders”!)
While you’ll sound very knowledgeable if you use the word aglet, these 10 words will just make you sound old.
Columella

Your columella is the bottom part of your nose that separates your nostrils. Some people have more of a hanging columella that you could change with plastic surgery.
Think you’re a bit of a wordsmith? Test your knowledge with our obscure words quiz.