Countdown's Susie Dent visited a Kennington school on World Book as she releases a new book featuring 100 words for joy and hope.
Ms Dent spoke to the pupils at Chandlings Prep about the history of their favourite words, suggested that the work 'snaccident" should be added to the dictionary, and shared words from her upcoming book 'Roots of Happiness'.
She taught the children about the history of words such as "daisy", "paraphernalia", and "electricity".
The visit also featured a Q&A session and a book signing.
The school said she "captivated the audience with her infectious enthusiasm and insightful knowledge" and that her "passion for language was evident".
The day also included a visit to the school's word tree, a project that displayed the children's favourite words, and which now features one of Ms Dent's favourites - Halcyon.
Karina Philip, head of English at Chandlings Prep said: "Susie Dent's visit was an absolute delight.
"Her passion for language was contagious, and she truly inspired our students to appreciate the power and beauty of words.
"We are incredibly grateful for her time and for sharing her knowledge with our school community.
"We were definitely all gigglemugs when she left."
Chandlings Prep is an independent day school which educates boys and girls from the age of two to 11.
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