Consider yourself lucky. In this part of the world people can spend hours on what they think is the road to Providence, only to find themselves halfway up Cape Cod asking if they’re on the right road. And of course, they’re not. (That’s Provincetown, for those who aren’t from these parts. It’s not even the same state.)

But the experience that you’re having is one of a kind of mental serendipity. When you’re aware of a word (especially a fairly common one) and aware of not knowing its meaning, then it’s easier to spot it when it comes ‘round again and you can pick up the meaning via context – and having seen and recalled it from before.

The thing is, though, that if you don’t just “shrug off” your ignorance but own up to it, accept it and decide to combat it – look up the damn word, f’gosh sakes! – then you’ll probably experience this even more frequently and in equally satisfying ways as your vocabulary and awareness of etymology starts to build.