Oftentimes the well heeled will find ways around sullying their mouths with dirty words. Scatological synonyms will take the place of vulgar verbiage; whether bodily functions or ordure of any kind. So it is with Pulveratricious, a big word that means dusty, or covered in dust. Etymology: From Latin , pulvereus (dusty). But wait, there’s more! The term comes from the Linnean biological classification pulveratores, a type of bird that was deemed dusty, due to the fact that they rolled in the dirt to dislodge bugs from its feathers. As a result, pulveratricious is also an anachronistic term for birds who nest close to the ground.

“The great, dark house now served as a perch for a thousand crows. They cawed and quorked at intruders who dared approach. Anyone who stole past the black sentinels into the building itself could be forgiven for thinking they had entered a tomb; the labyrinth of rooms was creepy and pulveratricious.”