English speakers may be sleeping on “diaphanous.” The language-learning app Babbel asked 1,500 members of the Poetry Society of America to pick the most beautiful word in English, tapping into a short list drawn from The 100 Most Beautiful Words in English by linguist Robert Beard, per the London Times. Topping the list with 17% of the vote was “diaphanous,” a term for something light, fine, and see-through, often applied to delicate fabric. “Ethereal” floated into second with 12%, followed by “mellifluous” in third with 10%. Not all of the suggested words centered on love or beauty, per the Telegraph: “Euthanasia” and “diarrhea,” for example, were among the submissions. Here, the rest of the top 10:
Diaphanous Ethereal Mellifluous Halcyon Susurrous Lithe Epiphany Effervescent Love Eloquent Check out some of the sexiest languages out there.