Recumbentibus

Definition: A knock-out punch– either verbal or physical.

Pronunciation: reck-um-ben-Ti-bus

Origin:

From Latin’s stem: “recumbent-”.

Why this word?

I’ve seen so many synonyms for “snappy retort” that are long and pompous-sounding and full of consonants, and I adore each and every one of them.

“Recumbentibus”, a five-syllable mouthful which sounds a lot like a holy rebuke, is a word that should only be said within a lip-curling sniff while glaring down your nose at someone.

How would you use this word in a sentence?

Example: “The words she threw back at them were vicious and sharp; an enraged recumbentibus of righteous ire.”