Pronunciation: /ˈvɛl.ɪ.kɔːr/ Part of speech: noun Definition: The strange, wistful nostalgia that washes over you when you step inside a used bookstore, a feeling born of old pages, forgotten hands, and the quiet weight of time. Etymology: <cite index="5-3">The earliest known use of *vellichor* can be traced to John Koenig's *The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows* (2013, later expanded into a 2021 book), a project dedicated to inventing words for otherwise nameless feelings.</cite> <cite index="8-1">The word is likely inspired by *ichor*, the ethereal fluid of the gods in Greek mythology, with the prefix drawn from *vellum*, the ancient parchment made from animal skin.</cite> <cite index="5-6,5-7">Koenig also drew on the Latin *vellere* ("to pluck or tear") and *chorus* (suggesting space or place), a construction more imaginative than strictly etymological, but one that lends the word a sense of antiquity, helping it feel authentic despite being a modern invention.</cite> See ichor and vellum for the root concepts. Synonyms: nostalgia, wistfulness, hiraeth, saudade, reverie, melancholy In a sentence: She paused just inside the doorway, overcome by a deep vellichor as the scent of aged paper and faded ink rose to meet her.