suppurate
verb
1. undergo the formation of pus; fester
Etymology: From the Latin “suppuratus,” past participle of “suppurare” which means “to form pus.” Isn’t Latin swell?

Now gather ’round, children (or maybe not, this one could get a bit icky), as we continue to delve into the delightful world of words that describe things we’d rather not think about. Today’s word is suppurate, a verb which, as you’ve just read, refers to the act of forming or discharging pus. Delicious, right?  Here we go:

Here’s why you should know and love this word: most obviously, it has to do with festering pus. Which would be plenty enough reason to deploy the word liberally in your daily business communication.  But wait…there’s more.  Though officially the word is pronounced “supp-yer-ate,” people in the Midwest (and yrs. truly) pronounce it “super ate.”  Yes…just like the franchise of cheap and sleazy motels.  So the next time you’re driving along and hear a commercial inviting you to spend a night at the Super 8 Motel, you should, like me, cackle adolescently.

Picture this: It’s a beautiful sunny day, you’re on a first date at the park, and you’ve just bitten into a tuna sandwich when suddenly, you feel a throbbing pain in your mouth. You excuse yourself, run to the nearest restroom, and are horrified to see that an old wisdom tooth extraction site has decided to suppurate at the most inconvenient time. The sight of it is like the Mt. Vesuvius of oral hygiene.

You rinse and rinse, but the taste of pus mixed with tuna is something you’ll probably never forget. You go back to your date, put on a brave face, and decide to stick to soft serve ice cream for the rest of the afternoon. Meanwhile, your date, blissfully unaware, continues to blather on about her love for, ironically, DIY dentistry. 

Suppurate – a word that sounds like a superhero power but, in reality, is about as far from it as you can get. Use this word with impunity…the average American won’t know what the hell you’re talking about anyway.  Feel superior…because you are.

N.P.: “Go Fuck Yourself” – Roxanne