In a previous post we talked about words in the English language that have an unusual number of vowels. In today’s post, we’ll look at English words that have no vowels at all, unless you include the “sometimes vowel” y. Work these words into your next conversation and you’ll improve your reputation as an expert to the nth degree!

pygmy (PIG-mee) adjective
Definition: Very much smaller or shorter than average.
Example: For would-be farmers without much land, the pygmy goat is a good choice for a steady supply of fresh milk.

myrrh (MURR) noun
Definition: A fragrant resin produced from the bark of several types of thorny trees.
Example: During high church ceremonies, the altar is blessed by burning pieces of myrrh in a swinging censer.

syzygy (SIH-sih-jee) noun
Definition: Alignment.
Example: During an eclipse, the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon are in syzygy.

rhythm (RIH-thum) noun
Definition: A repeated pattern of sound or movement.
Example: Many CDs designed to be played to babies follow the rhythm of a heartbeat, which recalls the sounds they heard inside the womb.

spryly (SPRI-lee) adverb
(Note: the first syllable rhymes with “eye.”)
Definition: In a nimble manner.
Example: Although she was 86 years old, she jumped spryly over the fence and managed to catch the runaway sheep.

crypt (KRIHPT) noun
Definition: A tomb or underground vault.
Example: The teenagers dared each other to spend the night in the crypt on Halloween.

glyph (GLIHFF) noun
Definition: A symbol or picture representing a word or words.
Example: By translating the Greek text on the Rosetta stone, researchers and linguists were able to begin to decipher the ancient Egyptian glyphs.

tryst (TRIHST) noun
Definition: A private meeting, usually of a romantic nature.
Example: The rose garden behind the library is a popular spot for a tryst on warm summer evenings.