Vellichor is a captivating term used to capture the essence of “the wistfulness of a second-hand bookstore”, evoking a sense of nostalgia and charm that comes with being surrounded by ancient books that appear forgotten. This word gained popularity on the Internet around 2015 after being coined in mid-2013 by John Koenig, editor of the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. While the origin of the word remains somewhat mysterious, it is believed to be a combination of “vellum”, meaning “calfskin parchment”, and “ichor”, a suffix also found in “petrichor” (the smell of wet earth) which refers to the blood of the gods in Greek mythology. The term vellum has roots in Old French, meaning “veal”, while the etymology of ichor remains uncertain but is believed to have Pre-Greek origins.
