Vellichor

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈvɛl.əˌkɔː/

Definitions

1. A deep-seated nostalgia arises when wandering through old bookstores, evoking a longing for days gone by and the romantic tales encapsulated within worn pages
2. This sentiment is intertwined with a yearning for the stories and experiences held within aged literature, mingling joy and sorrow
3. The unique feeling of wistful melancholy experienced when surrounded by the scent and sight of antiquarian book collections, stirring memories of forgotten narratives

Etymology: John Koenig coined this word in 2013 for his online project The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, later published in book form in 2021. He built it as a blend of "vellum," the fine parchment that old books were written and bound on, and "ichor," the fluid that the Greeks imagined flowing in the veins of their gods. The result describes the peculiar sense of wonder and wistfulness that comes from the smell and feel of aged paper. The coinage follows a model Koenig drew on: "petrichor," the earthy scent of rain falling on dry ground, which blends the Greek "petra" (stone) with "ichor." Where petrichor names a pleasant smell, this term names a feeling, one that mixes nostalgia with the sense of a story waiting to be opened.

Synonyms: nostalgia for old bookstores, bookstore melancholy, old book scent longing