When you want to say a mouthful with just one word, you can do it with “Mamihlapinatapai.”

Coming from the Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego, it refers to “a look that without words is shared by two people who want to initiate something, but neither start” or “looking at each other hoping that either will offer to do something which both parties desire but are unwilling to do.”

The Guinness Book of World Records identifies it as “The Most Succinct Word.” Guinness also identifies it as the most challenging word for any lexicographer to define briefly.

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