Over 300,000 people searched for help pronouncing "gyro" alone, while that fancy meat and cheese board "charcuterie" continues to trip up dinner party hosts nationwide.

Some of the words are cutesy (kerfuffle, jubilee). Others are onomatopoeic, with a similar sound to the idea they’re describing (meow, clink, squeak). Some are bizarre sounding (for example, syzygy: ...