Pronunciation: /ˈsɛlˌkuːθ/ Part of speech: adjective Definition: Strange, unusual, and rarely encountered; wondrous precisely because of its unfamiliarity. Etymology: <cite index="4-1">The word comes from Old English *selcūþ* or *seldcūþ*, meaning "unusual, little known, or unfamiliar," built from *seld-* ("rarely") combined with *cūþ* ("known").</cite> It is, in essence, the mirror image of its cousin *couth*, and a distant relative of the still-common word *uncouth*. <cite index="6-4">The earliest known use of *selcouth* dates to the Old English period, before 1150.</cite> Synonyms: uncanny, singular, wondrous, outlandish, recherché, unfamiliar In a sentence: The cartographer paused at the edge of the old map where, in faded ink, someone had written *selcouth* creatures dwell here, and felt a shiver of genuine curiosity.