Think of it this way: if you picked up a book of fiction with no cover, flipped it open to a random page and began reading, these words will indicate what genre it probably is.
Thanks to our W2P members, and the folks on the Analog and Asimov's discussion boards, plus romance author Diane Farr.
Science Fiction and Historicals have by far the most words, and for literally opposite reasons.
Children's:
Billy Goat
Eensy-weensy
Itsy-bitsy
Porridge
Whoville
Fantasy:
Dwarfish
Elfin
Fey
Runes
Sorcerous
Thews
Wizardly
Historical:
Baronial
Breeches
Centurion
Codpiece
Curricle
Donjon
Egad
Garderobe
Hallowed
Majestic
Manservant
Reticule
Salver
Sirrah
Snuffbox
Varlet
{We could make a very long list of archaic words. Shakespearian, medieval, Roman and Greek, even archaeological terms. These particular words are common in Historical (and Historial Romance, Time Travel SF, etc.) novels.}
Horror:
Elder Gods
Eldritch
Hideous
Ichor
Intone
Old Ones
Soulless
Squamous
Sublimed
Tenebrous
Military Action:
Click {when short for kilometer}
Foxtrot and Tango {when not the dances}
Frag
Phosphor
REMF
Mystery:
Deduction {when logical not financial}
Evidentiary
Improbable
Romance:
Fingertips
Gasp
Gaze
Heartbeats
Loins {other than beef}
Sigh
Throb {when used in a positive sense}
Yearn
Science Fiction:
Actinic
Anomaly
Ansible
Continuum
Cryo- (-genic, -sleep, -stasis, etc.)
Enhanced
FTL
Hyper- {anything beyond -active}
Nanites
Neutronium
Noosphere
Sentient
Singularity
Subspace
Synth- (-ahol, -space, -mass, etc.)
Terraform
Vortex
Wormhole
{We might compile a vast list of technical, scientific, and nerdy terms. Here we've listed words that frequently appear in SF (and Slipstream, Technothriller, etc.) novels.}
Thriller:
Counterintelligence
Directives
Encryption
Megatonnage
Protocol
Westerns:
Corral
Desperado
Gunslinger
Rugged
Sagebrush
Saloon
Solitary
Wrangler
Young Adult:
Dweebish
Gnarly
{Much trendy slang, which shifts fast}
Perhaps Blockbuster novels are a lost cause?
Experimental novels will be screamingly obvious, as intended.
