Flibbertigibbet, rhubarb or noggin: Voting for 'World Cup of random words' is now open

The World Cup of random words had started out as a "silly idea" in 2021.

What started as a "silly idea" last year is now turning out to be a hotly anticipated poll with hundreds of thousands of people voting for the World Cup of Random English Words.

Now, after shortlisting from 4096 words, voters will have to choose their favourite from among 16 finalists.

The World Cup of Random English Words is the brainchild of writer Lev Parikan who thought of the idea in a moment of inspiration last year.

"On 4th December 2021 I had a silly idea," Parikan told Daily Mail. "What words, I thought, are the really good ones? And so began the Twitter World Cup of Random English Words."

He told the publication that he walking through Crystal Palace Park in South London when after seeing a sphinx on a plinth he thought to himself that "plinth" was a "good word". So, he shared the first Twitter poll with three other words -- "emolument", "snazzy" and "out".

More than 1,300 people voted in the initial poll and "plinth" won by 48 per cent.

The success of the poll encouraged Parikan to think bigger. He set up 40 groups with random words, prepared a spreadsheet to stop words from being duplicated, and created a website so people could understand the meaning and use of the words.

Thousands of votes and multiple rounds later, 4,096 words were cut down to 16.

Morning all. Round 7 of the “World” “Cup” of “Random” “English” Words begins here.
Sixteen words.
Eight ties.
Two a day. https://t.co/cFl7GGqunP

Story continues below Advertisement

Remove Ad

— Lev Parikian (@LevParikian) December 20, 2022

"To reach this stage, flounce has beaten midriff, countermand, humble, spigot, weasel, singe, gusset, thwack, flange and haberdashery, with a total of 3,667 votes," Parikan told Daily Mail.

"Meanwhile, flibbertigibbet has overcome ooze, drench, particle, turpitude, mew, hickory, dastardly, surreptitious, warble, and rapscallion, with a total of 3,608 votes."

"Flibbertigibbet" won the Twitter poll by 55.3 per cent.

“World” “Cup” of “Random” “English” Words, Round 6, Group 2/16.

— Lev Parikian (@LevParikian) December 14, 2022

The quarter-finals of the World Cup of Random Words will take place on December 27, the semi-finals on December 29 before New Year's Eve when the final will be held.