Succulent


Someone who watches the Food Channel too much asked about the word succulent. It owes its existence to two Latin components: succus, which means juicy, and the suffix –ulentus, signifying “full of or abounding in.”

Other well-known words using the -ulent suffix include corpulent, esculent, flatulent, fraudulent, opulent, truculent, turbulent, and virulent.

But as always, it’s the little-known words that fascinate me. Let’s look at just a few, most of which are no longer used.

  • amarulent: full of bitterness
  • bucculent: blubber-cheeked
  • cinerulent: full of ashes
  • crassulent: very fat
  • flocculent: resembling tufts of wool
  • frustulent: full of small pieces
  • jussulent: full of broth
  • lutulent: muddy
  • pisculent: full of fish
  • rorulent: covered with dew
  • temulent: intoxicated


Available from McFarland & Co.: Word Parts Dictionary, 2nd edition


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