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8,000 Flushbunking Words to Feature in Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary

As Part of the Roald Dahl Centenary celebrations

Fans of Dahl will be aware how many words he made up in his stories, and his love of wordplay is legendary. The author would play around with language, creating spoonerisms and malapropisms to weave into his books in the hope that it would keep children interested and reading. It certainly did and books such as the BFG, James and the Giant Peach, and Matilda are as popular today as the day they were written.

2016 is the Cardiff author’s centenary year. Born Roald Dahl in 13th September 1916, he would go on to be one of the best known children’s author’s of all time, and now to celebrate the centenary Oxford is releasing The Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary, with almost 8,000 words, real and made up, all used by Dahl in his books.

Here’s a taster of what’s included, and what it means:

Frobscottle

A green fizzy drink that the BFG and other giants drink instead of water.

Flushbunking

Like many of Dahl’s words, something that makes no sense whatsoever.

Gobblefunk

Something else Dahl knew plenty about. To play around with words and invent new words or meanings.

Lickswishy

A lickswishy flavour is gloriously delicious.

Scrumdiddlyumptious

Food that is utterly delicious

Snozzwanger

A deadly three footed created that preys on Oompa-Loompas

Wondercrump

Wonderful or splendiferous



It’s hard to even read those words without smiling, what a wonderful legacy. The Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary will be released on 1st September in time for the author’s 100 year centenary and is available for pre-order now.

Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary US
Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary UK



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