adj. Risqué, indecent; also bizarre, unusual.
I can no longer endure this ostrobogulatory behaviour.
Ostrobogulous Pigs, A. Graves (1952)
Ostrobogulatory is derived from ostrobogulous, a word attributed to Victor Benjamin Neuburg, a British writer. According to him, the word meant “Full of rich dirt.” The uses of this word (and derivative forms) in the OED are flavouriferous and make me gumfiate with glee. Here’s my favorite.
‘Ostrobogulous’ was Vickybird’s favourite word. It stood for anything from the bawdy to the slightly off-colour. Any double entendre that might otherwise have escaped his audience was prefaced by, ‘if you will pardon the ostrobogulosity’.
A. Calder-Marshall (1951)
I’m going to preface most of my conversations now with, “If you will pardon the ostrobogulosity.” Or maybe I’ll add some graffiti to public restrooms saying “For an ostrobogulous time, please call…”
Have you had any ostrobogulatory experiences lately? Why not? You can’t get all the ostrobogularity you need from the internet, you know.