Some of us may have encountered these words in various places during our literary explorations. The younger folks have probably come across it in bad fan fiction. Most of us know what they mean, or at least what they’re intended to mean in context. Let’s explore them.
tu·mes·cent t(y)o͞oˈmes(ə)nt/ adjective
-
swollen or becoming swollen, especially as a response to sexual arousal.
-
(especially of language or literary style) pompous or pretentious; tumid.“his prose is tumescent, full of orotund language”
tur·gid ˈtərjəd/ adjective
1. swollen and distended or congested.
“a turgid and fast-moving river”
2. (of language or style) tediously pompous or bombastic.
“some turgid verses on the death of Prince Albert”
In context, despite the dictionary definitions, turgid comes across (to me) as more insistent. While tumescent is a condition, turgid is demanding something be done about it.
Interestingly, both of these words, in addition to the referenced “tumid,” which I don’t remember seeing before, have a latin origin, from different roots (tumescere, turgere and tumere, respectively).
all beginning with “tu.”
“Tu” is latin for “you” or “yourself.” Go figure.