Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 12, 2012 is: valorous • \VAL-uh-russ\ • adjective 1 : possessing or acting with bravery or boldness : courageous 2 : marked by, exhibiting, or carried out with courage or determination : heroic Examples: Audie Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1945 for valorous acts that helped to save his company in the face of a fierce German assault. "So today I am putting in the mail a donation to my local fire company. I hope many others will do the same. Honor the dead by honoring the living who continue the valorous work of first responders. Support them in their work, the work of rushing to the aid of you and me." -- From a letter to the editor by Evangeline Jones in the Poughkeepsie Journal (New York), September 11, 2011 Did you know? If you are boldly seeking synonyms for "valorous," consider "courageous," "intrepid," "dauntless," "bold," or just plain "brave" -- all of which mean "having or showing no fear when faced with danger or difficulty." "Brave" is the most straightforward of these, implying lack of fear in alarming or difficult circumstances. "Courageous" carries a sense of stout-hearted resolution in the face of danger, while "intrepid" suggests downright daring in confronting peril. "Dauntless" suggests determination and resolution despite danger. "Bold" typically indicates a forward or defiant tendency to thrust oneself into dangerous situations. "Valorous," which comes from Middle English "valour," meaning "worth, worthiness, or bravery," suggests illustrious bravery and sometimes has an archaic or romantic ring. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 11, 2012 is: kudos • \KOO-dahss\ • noun 1 : fame and renown resulting from an act or achievement : prestige 2 : praise given for achievement Examples: "I'd like to be a widow. Then I'd have the freedom of the unmarried, with the kudos of the married. I could eat my cake and have it, too. Oh, to be a widow!" -- From Lucy Maud Montgomery’s short story "The End of a Quarrel," in Chronicles of Avonlea (1912) "Making the playoffs is an achievement that deserves kudos, but getting this far isn't enough -- the real goal is to win championships, and the best way to do that is to continually look to upgrade your team." -- From an article by KC Joyner on ESPN.com, December 6, 2011 Did you know? Deriving from Greek, "kudos" entered English as slang popular at British universities in the 19th century. In its earliest use, the word referred to the prestige or renown that one gained by having accomplished something noteworthy. The sense meaning "praise given for achievement" came about in the 1920s. As this later sense became the predominant one, some English speakers, unaware of the word's Greek origin, began to treat it as a plural count noun, inevitably coming up with the back-formation "kudo" to refer to a single instance of praise. For the same reason, when "kudos" is used as a subject you may see it with either a singular or plural verb. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 10, 2012 is: defer • \dih-FER\ • verb 1 : put off, delay 2 : to postpone induction of (a person) into military service Examples: The minister advised the young man and woman that it would be wise for them to defer getting married until they had finished school. "In 1962, at age 20, he was commissioned at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. After three years he was deferred to go to law school at the University of South Carolina." -- From an article by Corey Hutchins in the Free Times (South Carolina), November 16, 2011 Did you know? There are two words spelled "defer" in English. The other "defer," which means "to submit to another's wishes or opinion" (as in "I defer to your superior expertise"), is derived from the Latin verb "deferre." The "defer" we're featuring today is derived from Latin "differre," which itself has several meanings including "to postpone" and "to differ." Not surprisingly, "differre" is also the source of our word "differ," meaning "to be different." In fact, at one time there were two "differ" homographs in English; over four hundred years ago, "differ" could also mean "to put off" (and could be pronounced with the stress on the last syllable, in the same way as "defer"). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 9, 2012 is: spendthrift • \SPEND-thrift\ • noun : a person who spends improvidently or wastefully Examples: David complained that his eldest son was quite the spendthrift, and was always writing home from college requesting more money. "Perhaps you remember a column I wrote two years ago about Spendthrifts and Tightwads. Spendthrifts experience little pain when they buy things. Tightwads find spending money to be quite difficult. They are more inclined to regret a purchase afterward." -- From an article by Brent Hunsberger in The Oregonian, September 17, 2011 Did you know? One sense of "thrift" is "careful management especially of money," and "spendthrift" was coined in the late 16th century to refer to someone who recklessly flouts such efforts. Synonyms of "spendthrift" include "prodigal," "waster," and "wastrel." "Prodigal" also has the suggestion of such enthusiastic waste that it would deplete even the most lavish resources, whereas both "waster" and "wastrel" imply that in addition to wastefulness, the person has such dramatic character flaws as to be a good-for-nothing and a drain upon the community. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 8, 2012 is: mordant • \MOR-dunt\ • adjective 1 : biting and caustic in thought, manner, or style : incisive 2 : burning, pungent Examples: The newspaper columnist's acute insights and mordant wit made her columns a must-read for many subscribers. "These letters show the tender, funny, love-hungry side of [Philip] Larkin that, in the poems proper, are always in tension with the mordant stuff." -- From a blog post by Adam Gopnik at The New Yorker (online), December 27, 2011 Did you know? The etymology of "mordant" certainly has some bite to it. That word, which came to modern English through Middle French, ultimately derives from the Latin verb "mordēre," which means "to bite." In modern parlance, "mordant" usually suggests a wit used with deadly effectiveness. "Mordēre" puts the bite into other English terms, too. For instance, that root gave us the tasty "morsel" ("a tiny bite"). But nibble too many of those and you’ll likely be hit by another "mordēre" derivative: "remorse" ("guilt for past wrongs"), which comes from Latin "remordēre," meaning "to bite again." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 7, 2012 is: tome • \TOHM\ • noun 1 : a volume forming part of a larger work 2 : book; especially : a large or scholarly book Examples: It took me more than a month to finish reading that 800-page tome on European history. "Priced at $1,000, the limited-edition tome brings together Norman Mailer's 1973 biography of Monroe with Bert Stern's now-legendary photos." -- From a review by Nicki Gostin on the Huffington Post, December 7, 2011 Did you know? "Tome" comes from Latin "tomus," which comes from Greek "tomos," meaning "section" or "roll of papyrus." "Tomos" comes from the Greek verb "temnein," which means "to cut." In ancient times, some of the longest scrolls of papyrus occasionally were divided into sections. When it was first used in English in the 16th century, "tome" was a book that was a part of a multi-volume work. Now a tome is most often simply a large and often ponderous book. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 6, 2012 is: calaboose • \KAL-uh-booss\ • noun : jail; especially : a local jail Examples: The chief entertainment at our family gatherings is always the stories my uncles tell of their wild youthful antics -- some of which landed them in the calaboose for a night. "Dallas broke the law, according to the lawsuit, because it lied in violation of the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act can be enforced criminally (off to the calaboose) or civilly (write a big check)." -- From an article by Jim Schutze in the Dallas Observer, November 24, 2011 Did you know? "Calaboose" had been part of the English language for almost a century when John S. Farmer included the term in his 1889 book Americanisms -- Old & New, defining it as "the common gaol or prison." Farmer also made mention of a verb "calaboose," meaning "to imprison," but that term was apparently lost in the years between then and now. "Calaboose" is Spanish in origin; it's from the Spanish word "calabozo," meaning "dungeon." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 5, 2012 is: epithet • \EP-uh-thet\ • noun 1 : a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing 2 : a disparaging or abusive word or phrase 3 : the part of a taxonomic name identifying a subordinate unit within a genus Examples: The online message board’s Terms of Service dictate that abusive language of any kind, including derogatory epithets, will result in the termination of the offending party’s account. "The term 'RINO' (Republican In Name Only) has become an epithet of ideological enforcement…." -- From an op-ed piece by Jonah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times, December 27, 2011 Did you know? Nowadays, "epithet" is usually used negatively, with the meaning "a derogatory word or phrase," but it wasn't always that way. "Epithet" comes to us via Latin from the Greek noun "epitheton" and ultimately derives from "epitithenai," meaning "to put on" or "to add." In its oldest sense, an "epithet" is simply a descriptive word or phrase, especially one joined by fixed association to the name of someone or something (as in "Peter the Great" or the stock Homeric phrases "gray-eyed Athena" and "wine-dark sea"). Alternatively, epithets may be used in place of a name (as in "the Peacemaker" or "the Eternal"). These neutral meanings of "epithet" are still in use, but today the word is more often used in its negative "term of disparagement" sense. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 4, 2012 is: headlong • \HED-LAWNG\ • adverb 1 : with the head foremost 2 : without deliberation : recklessly 3 : without pause or delay Examples: He's impulsive when it comes to romance and often rushes headlong into relationships, with little thought given to their long-term viability. "Under the direction of Jim Petosa, the performances by these exemplary actors cut deep, at times rescuing the play from the playwright, who has a habit of veering headlong toward sentimentality or melodramatics at key moments." -- From a theater review by Don Aucoin in The Boston Globe, December 1, 2011 Did you know? "Headlong" appeared in Middle English as "hedlong," an alteration of the older "hedling" or "hedlynge." "Hedling" is a combination of the Middle English "hed" ("head") and "-ling," an adverb suffix which means "in such a direction or manner." Thus, "hedling" originally meant "with the head foremost" or, if you will, "in the direction of the head." By the late 1400s, influenced by its use in the compound word "endlong," the adjective "long" began to be regarded as a suffix and a variant of "-ling." It was this substitution of "-ling" with "-long" that led to the replacement of words like "sideling" and "headling" with the now more familiar "sidelong" and "headlong." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 3, 2012 is: parochial • \puh-ROH-kee-ul\ • adjective 1 : of or relating to a church parish 2 : limited in range or scope (as to a narrow area or region) : provincial, narrow Examples: The book is marred by the parochial viewpoint of its author, who fails to take into account the interplay between local and global economies. "Once a largely parochial issue mainly of interest to Nebraskans, the pipeline's national profile has risen steadily to the point where it became the linchpin in a much broader, high-stakes deal affecting millions of families from coast to coast." -- From an article by Joseph Morton in the Omaha World-Herald, December 18, 2011 Did you know? In the Greek New Testament, the word "paroikia" means "temporary residence." (It's from the Greek word for "stranger" -- "paroikos.") Early Christians used this designation for their colonies because they considered heaven their real home. But temporary or not, these Christian colonies became more organized as time went on. Thus, in Late Latin, "parochia" became the designation for a group of Christians in a given area under the leadership of one pastor -- what we came to call a "parish" in the 14th century. Both "parish" and its related adjective "parochial" were borrowed at that time directly from Middle French terms that had been derived from the Late Latin. We didn't begin to use "parochial" in its "narrow" sense until the mid-19th century. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 2, 2012 is: rapporteur • \ra-por-TER\ • noun : a person who gives reports (as at a meeting of a learned society) Examples: He was selected to be the UN's rapporteur on nuclear energy. "In March, the U.N. Human Rights Council designated a special rapporteur, Ahmed Shaheed, to investigate and report on Iran's human rights violations, the first country-specific human rights rapporteur since the council's creation." -- From an article by Leonard A. Leo and Don Argue in the Sacramento Bee, October 31, 2011 Did you know? "Rapporteur" was adopted into English in the early 16th century and is a descendant of the Middle French verb "rapporter," meaning "to bring back, report, or refer." Other descendants of "rapporter" in English include "rapportage" (a rare synonym of "reportage," in the sense of "writing intended to give an account of observed or documented events") and "rapport" ("a harmonious relationship," as in "The young teacher had a good rapport with the students"). The words "report," "reporter," "reportage," etc., are also distant relatives of "rapporteur"; all can ultimately be traced back to the Latin prefix "re-," meaning "back, again, or against," and the Latin word "portare," meaning "to carry." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 1, 2012 is: incommunicado • \in-kuh-myoo-nuh-KAH-doh\ • adverb or adjective : without means of communication : in a situation or state not allowing communication Examples: Human rights groups continue to petition the government to allow them access to prisoners who are being held incommunicado. "Spirit has been incommunicado for more than a year despite daily calls by NASA. The cause of Spirit's silence may never be known, but it's likely the bitter Martian winter damaged its electronics, preventing the six-wheel rover from waking up." -- From an Associated Press article by Alicia Chang, May 25, 2011 Did you know? "Incommunicado" ultimately comes from Latin but made its way into English via Spanish. We borrowed the word (with a slightly modified spelling) from the past participle of the Spanish verb "incomunicar," meaning "to deprive of communication." The Spanish word, in turn, derives from the Latin prefix "in-" and the verb "communicare," meaning "to communicate." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 31, 2011 is: amenable • \uh-MEE-nuh-bul\ • adjective 1 : liable to be brought to account : answerable 2 a : capable of submission (as to judgment or test) : suited b : readily brought to yield, submit, or cooperate c : inclined or favorably disposed in mind : willing Examples: Stacy hinted to her husband that she was amenable to the idea of staying home on New Year’s Eve instead of going out. "[Lance] Lowery said he wasn't disappointed by the offerings, and that fellow shoppers were surprisingly civil. 'Parking wasn't bad at all. People have been amenable. The sales staff is great. I thought it was going to be crazy, but everyone's been very patient.'" -- From an article by Jill Cowan and Courtenay Edelhart in The Bakersfield Californian, November 25, 2011 Did you know? "Amenable" is a legacy of Anglo-French and derives ultimately from Latin "minari," meaning "to threaten." Since 1596, English speakers have been using it in courtrooms and writings of law with the meaning "answerable," as in "citizens amenable to the law." It later developed the meanings "suited" ("a simple function . . . which is perfectly amenable to pencil-and-paper arithmetic" -- Nature, April 1973) and "responsive" (as in "mental illnesses that are amenable to drug therapy"). It also came to be used of people with a general disposition to be agreeable or complaisant -- like Mr. Dick in David Copperfield, who was "the most friendly and amenable creature in existence." Nowadays, "amenable" is often used to describe someone who is favorably disposed to a particular named something. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 30, 2011 is: maladroit • \mal-uh-DROYT\ • adjective : lacking skill, cleverness, or resourcefulness in handling situations : inept Examples: Jim's maladroit management of the construction project caused it to take months longer than expected to be completed. "All the aristocrats, not surprisingly, turn out to be maladroit, unable to feed or dress themselves, and are dependent on the servants." -- From a theater review by James MacKillop in Syracuse New Times, August 17-24, 2011 Did you know? To understand the origin of "maladroit," you need to put together some Middle French and Old French building blocks. The first is the word "mal," meaning "bad," and the second is the phrase "a droit," meaning "properly." You can parse the phrase even further into the components "a," meaning "to" or "at," and "droit," meaning "right, direct, or straight." Middle French speakers put those pieces together as "maladroit" to describe the clumsy among them, and English speakers borrowed the word intact back in the 17th century. Its opposite, of course, is "adroit," which we adopted from the French in the same century. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 29, 2011 is: gloss • \GLAHSS\ • verb 1 a : to provide a gloss for : explain, define b : interpret 2 : to dispose of by false or perverse interpretation Examples: Although not intended for the layperson, the text is relatively jargon-free and most of the technical vocabulary has been glossed. "Even when Wotton’s footnotes correctly gloss Swift's material, they are inevitably usurped of their authority simply by being jumbled with the other signed and unsigned footnotes." -- From Christopher Flint’s 2011 book The Appearance of Print in Eighteenth-Century Fiction Did you know? You may also know "gloss" as a noun meaning "shine" or as part of the phrase "gloss over," meaning "to treat or describe (something) as if it were not important," but those uses are unrelated to today's featured word. Today's verb comes from the noun that refers primarily to a brief explanation. It is Greek in origin, coming from "glōssa" or "glōtta," meaning "tongue" or "language" or "obscure word." "Glossary" is from this same root, as are two anatomical terms: "glottis" refers to the elongated space between the vocal cords and also to the structures that surround this space; "epiglottis" refers to the thin plate of flexible cartilage in front of the glottis that folds back over and protects the glottis during swallowing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 28, 2011 is: duckboard • \DUK-bord\ • noun : a boardwalk or slatted flooring laid on a wet, muddy, or cold surface -- usually used in plural Examples: Someone had laid duckboards across the marshy area of the path so that it was passable. "Much of the trail consists of duckboards to protect fragile eco-systems and hikers should be careful not to step off them." -- From an advertorial in The Australian Magazine, October 8, 2011 Did you know? The word "duckboard" was created during the early 20th century to describe the boards or slats of wood laid down to provide safe footing for the soldiers of World War I across wet or muddy ground in trenches or camps. The original duckboards didn't always work as intended though. According to one soldier, duckboards came by their name because someone walking on wet duckboards was liable to slide off them much like water slides off a duck's back. Today's duckboards appear in all kinds of places -- from marshes to the floors of saunas. The word "duck" itself has been part of the English language since the days of Old English, when it had the form "dŪce." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 27, 2011 is: flagrant • \FLAY-grunt\ • adjective : conspicuously offensive; especially : so obviously inconsistent with what is right or proper as to appear to be a flouting of law or morality Examples: The United Nations is investigating what seem to be flagrant violations of human rights by the junta. "Wade missed the South Carolina game because of … a flagrant personal foul at Vanderbilt." -- From an article by Bob Holt and Tom Murphy in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, November 20, 2011 Did you know? In Latin, "flagrare" means "to burn," and "flagrans" means "burning" or "fiery hot" (both literally and figuratively). When it was first used in the 16th century, "flagrant" had the same meaning as "flagrans," but by the 18th century it had acquired its current meaning of "conspicuously bad." Some usage commentators warn against using "flagrant" and "blatant" interchangeably. While both words denote conspicuousness, they are not exact synonyms. "Blatant" is usually used of some person, action, or thing that attracts disapproving attention (e.g., "a blatant grammatical error"). "Flagrant" is used similarly, but usually carries a heavier weight of violated morality (e.g., "flagrant abuse of public office"). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 26, 2011 is: intrepid • \in-TREP-id\ • adjective : characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance Examples: She was an intrepid child, always coming home with scrapes and bruises, but also with great stories of "adventures." "The vineyard lies atop a knoll down the road from Bohan Vineyard, at an elevation of 1,200 feet. In the early 1980s, the site was so uncharted that only the most intrepid would venture to its lonesome ridges, let alone consider grape growing there." -- From a review in Wine Spectator, July 31, 2010 Did you know? You need not be afraid to find out the origins of today’s word, although its history does include fear. "Intrepid" derives from the Latin word "intrepidus," itself formed by the combination of the prefix "in-" (meaning "not") and "trepidus," meaning "alarmed." Other relatives of "trepidus" in English include "trepidation" and "trepidatious," as well as "trepid" (which actually predates "intrepid" and means "fearful") and even the rare "trepidity" (a synonym for "trepidation" in the sense of "fear, apprehension"). Synonyms for "intrepid" include "courageous," "valiant," "fearless," "valorous," and simply "brave." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 25, 2011 is: tiding • \TYE-ding\ • noun : a piece of news -- usually used in plural Examples: I rushed off to share the good news, excited to be the bearer of glad tidings. "With Christmas more than a month away, Duane Brusseau is getting a head start on Santa as he makes stops across the nation spreading tidings of good cheer." -- From an article by Shannon Barry in the Milpitas Post (California), November 16, 2011 Did you know? "Good tidings we bring to you and your kin," goes a line from the popular 16th-century carol "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Another carol, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (1833), speaks of "tidings of comfort and joy." Although there is nothing inherent in the meaning or origin of "tiding" that specifically pertains to Christmas (it derives via Middle English from Old English and relates to "betide," meaning "to happen especially by fate"), we most often see the word in contexts pertaining to the Christmas season. The most notable usage, perhaps, occurs in Luke 2:10 of the King James Bible, when the angel delivers the news of the arrival of the Savior: "Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 24, 2011 is: dulcet • \DUL-sut\ • adjective 1 : sweet to the taste 2 : pleasing to the ear 3 : generally pleasing or agreeable Examples: At the concert, Kate leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the dulcet tones of the harp solo. "The haddock was sweet and tender inside the coarse cornmeal crust, with dulcet chili aioli and creamy avocado." -- From a restaurant review by Cheryl Clark in The Times-Union (Albany, New York), November 20, 2011 Did you know? "Dulcet" has many linguistic ancestors, including the Latin "dulcis," Anglo-French "douz," and Middle English "doucet," all meaning "sweet." The dulcet "dulcis" has contributed many other sweet terms to English as well. Among these are the musical direction "dolce" ("to be played sweetly, softly"), "dulciana" (a pipe organ stop), "dolcian" (a small bassoon-like instrument used in the 16th and 17th centuries), and "dulcimer" (an American folk instrument). On a similar note, the word "dulcify" means "to make sweet," and the adjective "doux," derived from "douz," is used in wine circles to describe champagne that is sweet. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 23, 2011 is: perquisite • \PER-kwuh-zut\ • noun 1 : a privilege or profit made in addition to regular pay 2 : gratuity, tip 3 : something held or claimed as an exclusive right or possession Examples: One of the job's perquisites is use of a company car. "A few years ago, before motherhood and a recession slowed me down, my annual flight mileage allowed me the perquisite of early boarding -- before all the baggage bins were full." -- From a column by Cynthia Tucker in The Leaf Chronicle (Tennessee), November 25, 2011 Did you know? Looking to acquire a job loaded with perquisites, or "perks" (a synonym of "perquisites")? Don’t give up the search! Make plenty of inquiries, send out an exquisitely crafted resume, and follow up with queries. Your quest may result in your conquering of the job market. After all, today’s word "perquisite" derives from Latin "perquirere," which means "to search for thoroughly." That Latin word, in turn, is from the verb "quaerere," meaning "to ask" or "to seek." Seven other words in this paragraph are from "quaerere" as well -- "acquire," "inquiries," "exquisitely," "queries," "conquering," "quest," and, of course, "perk" (which was formed by shortening and altering "perquisite"). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 22, 2011 is: echelon • \ESH-uh-lahn\ • noun 1 : a steplike arrangement 2 a : one of a series of levels or grades in an organization or field of activity b : the individuals at such a level Examples: We heard stories of corruption in the higher echelons of the firm. "The Horseheads school district is in the upper echelon of upstate school districts, according to a new list created by a Buffalo business publication." -- From an article by Jeff Murray in the Elmira Star-Gazette (New York), November 13, 2011 Did you know? "Echelon" is a useful word for anyone who is climbing the ladder of success. It traces back to "scala," a Late Latin word meaning "ladder" that was the ancestor of the Old French "eschelon," meaning "rung of a ladder." Over time, the French word (which is "échelon" in Modern French) came to mean "step," "grade," or "level." When it was first borrowed into English in the 18th century, "echelon" referred specifically to a steplike arrangement of troops, but it now usually refers to a level or category within an organization or group of people. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 21, 2011 is: wreak • \REEK\ • verb 1 : to cause the infliction of (vengeance or punishment) 2 : to give free play or course to (malevolent feeling) 3 : bring about, cause Examples: The visiting team's skilled receivers wreaked havoc on our defense all night long. "Emily VanCamp stars [as] a wealthy young woman who returns to her former Hamptons home to wreak vengeance on the people who ruined her family. " -- From a review by Glenn Teichman in The Times-Union, September 16, 2011 Did you know? "Wreak" is a venerable word that first appeared in Old English as "wrecan," meaning "to drive, drive out, punish, or avenge." "Wrecan" is related to a number of similar words in the Germanic languages, including Middle Dutch "wreken" ("to punish, avenge"), Old High German "rehhan" ("to avenge"), Old Norse "reka" ("to drive, push, or avenge"), and Gothic "wrikan" ("to persecute"). It may also be related to Latin "urgēre" ("to drive on, urge"), the source of the English verb "urge." In modern English, vengeance is a common object of the verb "wreak," reflecting one of its earlier uses in the sense "to take vengeance for" -- as when Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus proclaims "We will solicit heaven, and move the gods / To send down Justice for to wreak our wrongs." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 20, 2011 is: subterfuge • \SUB-ter-fyooj\ • noun 1 : deception by artifice or stratagem in order to conceal, escape, or evade 2 : a deceptive device or stratagem Examples: They obtained the documents through subterfuge. "Staring into a series of mirrors, Philip Fletcher's Iago watches as his reflections come to life, in the form of two of Synetic's other first-rank actor-dancers, Alex Mills and Irina Tsikurishvili. Giving Iago an omnipresent shape helps an audience imagine the breathtaking scope of his subterfuge as he creates the circumstances in which a man might be falsely convinced that a loyal wife is straying." -- From a review by Peter Marks in The Washington Post, November 4, 2011 Did you know? Though "subterfuge" is a synonym of "deception," "fraud," "double-dealing," and "trickery," there’s nothing tricky about the word’s etymology. We borrowed the word and meaning from Late Latin "subterfugium." That word contains the Latin prefix "subter-," meaning "secretly," which derives from the adverb "subter," meaning "underneath." The "-fuge" portion comes from the Latin verb "fugere," which means "to flee" and which is also the source of words such as "fugitive" and "refuge," among others. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 19, 2011 is: ethereal • \ih-THEER-ee-ul\ • adjective 1 : of or relating to the heavens : heavenly 2 : being light and airy : delicate Examples: I had expected the spa to be one of those places where they burn aromatherapy candles and play ethereal music, but it wasn't like that at all. "His compositions are ethereal, often enhanced by coloured lighting effects in performances, and draw inspiration from his Nordic homeland." -- From a review by Hannah Nepil in Time Out (UK), November 3, 2011 Did you know? If you're burning to know the history of "ethereal," you're in the right spirit to fully understand that word's etymology. The ancient Greeks believed that the Earth was composed of earth, air, fire, and water, but that the heavens and its denizens were made of a purer, less tangible substance known as either "ether" or "quintessence." Ether was often described as an invisible light or fire, and its name derives from the Greek "aithein," a verb meaning "to ignite" or "to blaze." When "ethereal," the adjective kin of "ether," debuted in English in the 1500s, it referred specifically to regions beyond the Earth, but it gradually came to refer to anything heavenly or airy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 18, 2011 is: kegler • \KEG-ler\ • noun : a person who bowls : bowler Examples: "Five keglers … brought home money from the recent Oregon Bowlers Association tournament sponsored by Striking Image Pro Shop at Wilsonville Lanes in Wilsonville, Ore." -- From an article by Rick McCorkle in the Longview Daily News (Washington), November 3, 2011 "Kegler alert: For all other bowlers (keglers in bowling lingo), the grand opening of the 24-lane, smoke-free complex is today." -- From an article in the Idaho Statesman, November 18, 2011 Did you know? Some historians trace the game of bowling back to the Stone Age (that information may conjure up images of Fred Flintstone on the lanes), but it was a medieval version of the game that gave us the word "kegler." In medieval Germany, the game was practiced as a test of religious faith and purity. The "Kegel" (bowling pin) represented a heathen, and those who could topple it with a round stone proved that they were free of sin. "Kegel" gave English the nouns "kegling" (meaning "bowling") and "kegler," by way of the German verb "kegeln" ("to bowl"). Nowadays, both words tend to be used humorously by writers referring to the modern game. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 17, 2011 is: raillery • \RAIL-uh-ree\ • noun 1 : good-natured ridicule : banter 2 : jest Examples: New workers at the plant can expect to endure some raillery and joshing from the old-timers. "Scioli, a floorsweep, another barber and a man on the sofa called Buddy Lite are carrying on a conversation that bounces around like a Wham-O Super Ball, touching on conspiracy theories, 20th-century pop culture, UFOs, lewd raillery and an eerie tale concerning a caribou walking backward via supernatural forces." -- From an article by Luke Jerrod Kummer in The Washington Post, January 7, 2011 Did you know? "Raillery" is the anglicized form of the French word "raillerie," which stems from the Middle French verb "railler," meaning "to mock." "Railler," which probably comes from Old French "reillier" ("to growl" or "to mutter") and ultimately from Late Latin "ragere" ("to neigh"), also gave us our verb "rail." But "rail" and "raillery" are quite different in tone. "Rail" means "to revile or scold in harsh, insolent, or abusive language," whereas "raillery" usually suggests cutting wit that pokes fun good-naturedly. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 16, 2011 is: foment • \FOH-ment\ • verb : to promote the growth or development of : rouse, incite Examples: He has been accused of fomenting violence, but he denies the claim and insists that he and his followers will only engage in peaceful means of protest. "As it has in past years, PJFF31 will also feature a New Filmmakers Weekend (March 17-19) and offer a Documentaries & Dialogue slate (Jan. 9-Feb. 6) designed to foment debate, discussion, and discourse." -- From an article by Steven Rea in The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 4, 2011 Did you know? If you had sore muscles in the 1600s, your doctor might have advised you to foment the injury, perhaps with heated lotions or warm wax. Does this sound like an odd prescription? Not if you know that "foment" traces to the Latin verb "fovēre," which means "to heat." The earliest documented English uses of "foment" appear in medical texts offering advice on how to soothe various aches and pains by the application of moist heat. But the idea of applying heat can also be a metaphor for stimulating or rousing to action. Within 50 years of its English debut, "foment" was also being used in political contexts to mean "to stir up," "to call to action," or, in a sense at least figuratively opposite to its original one, "to irritate." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 15, 2011 is: conversazione • \kahn-ver-saht-see-OH-nee\ • noun : a meeting for conversation especially about art, literature, or science Examples: "There is a memorable description of Lord Gowrie at an elegant conversazione at Mrs Drue Heinz's castle on Lake Como, sweltering in lovat tweeds in the Italian heat after his suitcase flies off to Glasgow without him." -- From a book review by Jane Shilling in The Sunday Times (London), July 20, 2008 "'The Sacred Made Real' [museum exhibition] … leads us on a mystical pilgrimage, its ever-shifting views inviting sculptures, paintings and visitors into a mystical conversazione." -- From an art review by Gauvin Alexander Bailey in Apollo, January 1, 2010 Did you know? Writer Horace Walpole is credited with the first English use of "conversazione" in a 1739 letter in which he writes, "After the play we were introduced to the assembly, which they call the conversazione." As this Italian borrowing was used through the years, it gained nuances of meaning. In Italy, it generally referred to a gathering for conversation, but in England it began to be used more for a private meeting. By the 19th century, "conversazione" also referred to assemblies and soirees of people connected with the arts or sciences. The word has two plural forms in English: "conversaziones" and "conversazioni." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 14, 2011 is: taciturn • \TASS-uh-tern\ • adjective : temperamentally disinclined to talk Examples: Upon hearing that reticent Calvin Coolidge -- arguably the most taciturn president in U.S. history -- had died, Dorothy Parker quipped, "How could they tell?" "The waiter, previously friendly and good-humored, was tonight solemn and taciturn." -- From Taylor Stevens' novel The Informationist, 2011 Did you know? We first find "taciturn" in a satiric drama written in 1734 by James Miller, a British clergyman educated at Oxford. A character describes a nephew thus: "When he was little, he never was what they call Roguish or Waggish, but was always close, quiet, and taciturn." It seems we waited unduly long to adopt this useful descendent of the verb "tacēre," meaning "to be silent" -- we were quicker to adopt other words from the "tacēre" family. We’ve been using "tacit," an adjective meaning "expressed without words" or "implied," since the mid-17th century. And we’ve had the noun "taciturnity," meaning "habitual silence," since at least 1450. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 13, 2011 is: swivet • \SWIV-ut\ • noun : a state of extreme agitation Examples: She was in a swivet for days before the meeting, but when the actual day arrived she found she was surprisingly calm. "The world's in a swivet over airport security. The deployment of full-body scanning technology in about 15 percent of United States airports has people even more anxious and cranky than usual as we head into the holiday season." -- From an article in The Houston Chronicle, November 24, 2010 Did you know? People have been in a swivet over one thing or another since the 1890s. That, at least, is when the word first appeared in print in a collection of "Peculiar Words and Usages" of Kentucky published by the American Dialect Society. In the ensuing years, "swivet" popped up in other pockets of the South as well. Chances are it had already been around for some time before it was recorded in writing, and by the time it was, nobody could say where or how it had originated. What we do know is that its use gradually spread, so that by the 1950s it was regularly appearing in national magazines like Time and The New Yorker. Thus, it entered the mainstream of American English. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 12, 2011 is: zeitgeist • \TSYTE-gyste\ • noun, often capitalized : the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era Examples: The movie does an excellent job of capturing the zeitgeist of the early Cold War era. "If Broadway no longer seems behind the times or ahead of the times, it may be because there are no 'times' anymore, no prevailing Zeitgeist that sets the fashion, pace, and prevailing look." -- From an article by James Wolcott in Vanity Fair, July 2011 Did you know? Scholars have long maintained that each era has a unique spirit, a nature or climate that sets it apart from all other epochs. In German, such a spirit is known as "Zeitgeist," from the German words "Zeit," meaning "time," and "Geist," meaning "spirit" or "ghost." Some writers and artists assert that the true zeitgeist of an era cannot be known until it is over, and several have declared that only artists or philosophers can adequately explain it. We don’t know if that’s true, but we do know that "zeitgeist" has been a useful addition to the English language since at least 1835. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 11, 2011 is: perdition • \per-DISH-un\ • noun 1 : eternal damnation 2 : hell Examples: "The urbane activity with which a man receives money is really marvellous, considering that we so earnestly believe money to be the root of all earthly ills, and that on no account can a monied man enter heaven. Ah! how cheerfully we consign ourselves to perdition!" -- From Herman Melville's 1851 novel Moby Dick "So among my earliest poems were those about a sin-eater -- a functionary at funerals from a former time who, for his daily bread and a small fee, took unto himself the sins of the dead, and then, like the goat of the ancient Jews, escaped to the wilderness laden with the burdens of perdition." -- From an article by Thomas Lynch in Commonweal, August 12, 2011 Did you know? "Perdition" began life as a word meaning "utter destruction"; that sense is now archaic, but it provides a clue about the origins of the word. "Perdition" was borrowed into English in the 14th century from Anglo-French "perdiciun" and ultimately derives from the Latin verb "perdere," meaning "to destroy." "Perdere" was formed by combining the prefix "per-" ("through") and "dare" ("to give"). Other descendants of that Latin "dare" in English include "date," "edition," "render," and "traitor." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 10, 2011 is: compendious • \kum-PEN-dee-us\ • adjective : marked by brief expression of a comprehensive matter : concise and comprehensive; also : comprehensive Examples: A compendious handbook of grammar is a useful reference to have on hand. "The result is a compendious yet nuanced sketch of the contours of one of the most exemplary artistic careers of the era…." -- From a blog post by Richard Brody at The New Yorker (newyorker.com), November 17, 2011 Did you know? In current use, "compendious" is most often applied to things that are full in scope and concise in treatment. But the word also shares a sense of "brief in statement or expression" with synonyms "concise," "terse," "succinct," "pithy," "laconic," and "summary." "Concise" simply suggests the removal of all that is superfluous or elaborative ("a concise description"). "Terse" implies pointed conciseness ("a terse reply"). "Succinct" implies the greatest possible compression ("a succinct letter of resignation"). "Pithy" adds the implication of richness of meaning or substance ("pithy one-liners"). "Laconic" implies brevity to the point of seeming rude or indifferent ("a laconic stranger"). "Summary" suggests the stating of main points with no elaboration ("a summary listing of the year’s main events"). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 9, 2011 is: kibosh • \KYE-bosh\ • noun : something that serves as a check or stop Examples: The economic downturn put the kibosh on their renovation plans. "Masterson and Phillips got engaged in 2009, but as we told you last year, the couple hit a roadblock: Volcano Eyjafjallajokull. You heard us: That massive volcanic ash cloud that grounded flights and kept journalists tongue-tied also put the kibosh on the couple's planned nuptials in Iceland." -- From a post by Matt Donnelly on the Los Angeles Times' Ministry of Gossip blog, October 19, 2011 Did you know? For a century "kibosh" has taxed the ingenuity of etymologists. It was prominent enough in lower-class London speech to attract the attention of Charles Dickens, who used it in 1836 in an early sketch, but little else is certain. Claims were once made that it was Yiddish, despite the absence of a plausible Yiddish source. Another hypothesis points to Irish "caidhp bhais," literally, "coif (or cap) of death," explained as headgear a judge put on when pronouncing a death sentence, or as a covering pulled over the face of a corpse when a coffin was closed. But evidence for any metaphorical use of this phrase in Irish is lacking, and "kibosh" is not recorded in English as spoken in Ireland until decades after Dickens' use. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 8, 2011 is: wallaroo • \wah-luh-ROO\ • noun 1 : a large reddish-gray kangaroo (Macropus robustus) -- called also euro 2 : either of two kangaroos (Macropus antelopinus and M. bernardus) related to the wallaroo Examples: Wallaroos are among the approximately 200 species of marsupials found in Australia, New Guinea, and neighboring islands. "The agency’s list contained several reports from Devon and Cornwall over the past five years, ranging from big cats to wild boar and even a wallaroo -- a kind of kangaroo." -- From an article in This Is Plymouth, October 8, 2011 Did you know? Wallaroos are indeed a kind of kangaroo. That term in its broadest usage refers to any member of the family Macropodidae -- which comprises more than 50 species. More specifically, though, "kangaroo" refers to the eastern gray kangaroo, the western gray kangaroo, the red kangaroo, and to the three animals known also as "wallaroos." Like the animals to which they refer, the words "wallaroo" and "kangaroo" are native to Australia. "Wallaroo" is from Dharuk, an Australian aboriginal language of the Port Jackson area; "kangaroo" is from Guugu Yimidhirr, an Australian aboriginal language of northern Queensland. Also from Dharuk is the word "wallaby," which refers to small or medium-sized kangaroos, especially those of the genus Macropus. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 7, 2011 is: diligent • \DIL-uh-junt\ • adjective : characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort : painstaking Examples: After many hours of diligent research, the students were finally ready to compile their results. "The mature members of the workforce are hard-working, diligent, responsible people." -- From an article by Casey Dowd at foxbusiness.com, November 10, 2011 Did you know? You're more likely to be diligent about something if you love doing it. The etymology of "diligent" reflects the fact that affection can lead to energetic effort. The word, which entered English in the 14th century by way of Anglo-French, descends from the Latin verb "diligere," meaning "to value or esteem highly" or "to love." Of course, you don’t need to care for the task at hand in order to be diligent, but it certainly does help! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 6, 2011 is: emblazon • \im-BLAY-zun\ • verb 1 a : to inscribe or adorn with or as if with heraldic bearings or devices b : to inscribe (as logos or lettering) on a surface 2 : celebrate, extol Examples: Renaming the high school gymnasium after the beloved late basketball coach would emblazon her memory for years to come. "A pre-game spotlight beamed on the blue NCAA women's basketball Final Four banner at the Purcell Pavilion, with the year 2011 emblazoned in gold." - From an article by Curt Rallo in the South Bend Tribune (Indiana), November 2, 2011 Did you know? English speakers have been using the heraldic sense of "emblazon" since the late 16th century, and before that there was the verb "blazon" ("to describe heraldically") and the noun "blazon" ("a heraldic coat of arms"), which descend from Anglo-French "blason." "Emblazon" still refers to adorning something with an emblem of heraldry, but it is now more often used for adorning or publicizing something in any conspicuous way, whether with eye-catching decoration or colorful words of praise. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 5, 2011 is: salient • \SAIL-yunt\ • adjective 1 : jutting forward beyond a line 2 : standing out conspicuously : prominent; especially : of notable significance Examples: The speech was filled with so much twisted rhetoric that it was hard to identify any salient points. "My point is that it might be a mistake to suppose that the director of '10,000 B.C.' -- to mention only the most salient example -- should be taken as a reliable guide to history." -- From a review by A.O.Scott in The New York Times, October 28, 2011 Did you know? Salient" first popped up in English in the mid-17th century, and in its earliest English uses meant "moving by leaps or springs" (as in "a salient cheetah") or "spouting forth" (as in "a salient fountain"). Those senses aren't too much of a jump from the word's parent, the Latin verb “salire,” which means "to leap." “Salire” has leaped into many English words; it's also an ancestor of "somersault" and "sally," as well as "Salientia," the name for an order of amphibians that includes frogs, toads, and other notable jumpers. Today, "salient" is usually used to describe things that are physically prominent (such as a salient nose) or that stand out figuratively (such as the salient features of a painting). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 4, 2011 is: crux • \KRUKS\ • noun 1 : a puzzling or difficult problem 2 : an essential point requiring resolution or resolving an outcome 3 : a main or central feature (as of an argument) Examples: The crux of the city's problem with traffic congestion is that many people find the trains to be unpredictable and don’t trust them to run on time. "The crux of the problem is that as a person loses weight, especially in more aggressive dieting, the body changes the hormones it's producing, adjusting for the loss in fat reserves, and promoting a stronger urge to eat more and replace the reserves." -- From an article by Rupert Shepherd in Medical News Today, October 26, 2011 Did you know? In Latin, "crux" referred literally to an instrument of torture, often a cross or stake, and figuratively to the torture and misery inflicted by means of such an instrument. "Crux" eventually developed the sense of "a puzzling or difficult problem"; that was the first meaning that was used when the word entered English in the early 18th century. Later, in the late 19th century, "crux" began to be used more specifically to refer to an essential point of a legal case that required resolution before the case as a whole could be resolved. Today, the verdict on "crux" is that it can be used to refer to any important part of a problem or argument, inside or outside of the courtroom. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 3, 2011 is: nightmare • \NYTE-mair\ • noun 1 : an evil spirit formerly thought to oppress people during sleep 2 : a frightening dream that usually awakens the sleeper 3 : something (as an experience, situation, or object) having the monstrous character of a nightmare or producing a feeling of anxiety or terror Examples: Since starting the new medication, John routinely experiences vivid dreams when he sleeps and even suffers from frequent nightmares. "When the Detroit Tigers opened Comerica Park for the 2000 season, the stadium immediately developed a reputation as a right-handed hitter's nightmare, and the expansive playing surface helped earn it the nickname Comerica State Park." -- From an article by Andrew Keh in The New York Times, November 2, 2011 Did you know? Looking at "nightmare," you might guess that it is a compound formed from "night" and "mare." If so, your guess is correct. But while the "night" in "nightmare" makes sense, the "mare" part is less obvious. Most English speakers know "mare" as a word for a female horse or similar equine animal, but the "mare" of "nightmare" is a different word, an obsolete one referring to an evil spirit that was once thought to produce feelings of suffocation in people while they slept. By the 14th century the mare was also known as a "nightmare," and by the late 16th century "nightmare" was also being applied to the feelings of distress caused by the spirit, and then to frightening or unpleasant dreams. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 2, 2011 is: stratagem • \STRAT-uh-jum\ • noun 1 a : an artifice or trick in war for deceiving and outwitting the enemy b : a cleverly contrived trick or scheme for gaining an end 2 : skill in ruses or trickery Examples: As a stratagem to get the kids to do their chores, Melissa persuaded them to have a race to see which child could finish first. "With runners at the corners, Bochy unwrapped one of his favorite stratagems. He had Fontenot take off for second base on a pitch to Sandoval, then Torres came home on the designed delayed steal to give the Giants a 4-1 lead." -- From an article by Andrew Baggarly in the Monterey County Herald, July 16, 2011 Did you know? A "stratagem" is any clever scheme -- sometimes one that's part of an overall "strategy" (i.e., a carefully worked out plan of action). Clearly, we no longer limit ourselves to the original military sense of "stratagem" as 15th-century users of the term did. The military meaning can be traced back to the word's Greek ancestor "strategema," which is itself based on "strategein," meaning "to act as a general." "Strategein" in turn comes from "strategos" ("general"), which comes from "stratos" ("army") and "agein" ("to lead"). "Strategos" is an ancestor of "strategy" as well. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 1, 2011 is: genuflect • \JEN-yuh-flekt\ • verb 1 a : to bend the knee b : to touch the knee to the floor or ground especially in worship 2 : to be servilely obedient or respectful Examples: As part of the wedding ceremony, the couple genuflected before the altar. "You imagine how frustrating it is for those watching and waiting to genuflect at the altar of the game's best pitcher -- but their primary glimpse of him for the second straight game is sitting dejectedly in the dugout…." -- From an article by Drew Sharp in the Detroit Free Press (Michigan), October 9, 2011 Did you know? "Genuflect" is derived from Late Latin "genuflectere," formed from the noun "genu" ("knee") and the verb "flectere" ("to bend"). "Flectere" is an ancestor of a number of common verbs in English, such as "reflect" ("to throw back light or sound") and "deflect" ("to turn aside"). By comparison "genu" sees little use in English, but it did give us "geniculate," a word often used in scientific contexts to mean "bent abruptly at an angle like a bent knee." Despite the resemblance, words such as "genius" and "genuine" are not related to "genuflect"; instead, they are of a family that includes the Latin verb "gignere," meaning "to beget." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 30, 2011 is: fascicle • \FASS-ih-kul\ • noun 1 : a small or slender bundle (as of pine needles or nerve fibers) 2 : one of the divisions of a book published in parts Examples: "It was a word that was due to be included in the dictionary's second fascicle, or part, being readied to be printed and published in the later summer of 1885." -- From the 1998 book The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester "The femoral nerve is divided into several dozen separate bundles of nerves, called fascicles, each of which contains hundreds if not thousands of individual nerves." -- From an article in The Economist, September 4, 2010 Did you know? "Fascicle," which has been a part of our language since the 15th century, is one of a bundle of words derived from Latin "fascis," meaning "bundle." In book publishing, "fascicle" and its variants "fascicule" and "fasciculus" can all be used for one of the installments of a voluminous work; "fasciculus" can also be used for a bundle of anatomical fibers. "Fasciitis" is an inflammation of a "fascia," which is a sheet of tissue connecting muscles. You can also have a case of "fasciculation," or muscular twitching. Other descendants of "fascis" include "fasces" (a bundle of rods and an ax borne before ancient Roman magistrates as a badge of authority) and "fascine" (a long bundle of sticks of wood bound together). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 29, 2011 is: regardless • \rih-GAHRD-lus\ • adverb : despite everything Examples: The weather forecast called for wind and rain, but Susan decided to continue with her plans regardless. "Regardless of how much money the park has, and regardless of how efficiently that money is spent, there are practical constraints on the pace of design, approvals and construction -- a reality every public works endeavor faces." -- From an article by Jeff Overley in The Orange County Register (California), October 13, 2011 Did you know? "Regardless" is rather simply derived from the noun "regard" (meaning "attention" or "concern") plus "-less" -- nothing too shocking about that. But poor "regardless" became embroiled in a usage scandal through no fault of its own when people began using "irregardless" as its synonym (probably blending "irrespective" and "regardless"). "Irregardless" originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century, and usage commentators have been decrying it since the 1920s, often declaring "there is no such word." "Irregardless" does exist, of course, but it tends to be used primarily in speech and it is still considered nonstandard. "Regardless" is greatly preferred. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 28, 2011 is: coquetry • \KOH-kuh-tree\ • noun : a flirtatious act or attitude Examples: In a not-so-subtle act of coquetry, Nancy smiled flirtatiously and winked at Scott as she walked past him. “Her Act III solo with a fan became an expression not of conventional coquetry but of impish joy in the moment." -- From a review of the American Ballet Theater in The New York Times, May 25, 2011 Did you know? The rooster's cocky attitude has given him a reputation for arrogance and promiscuity. It has also given English several terms for people whose behavior is reminiscent of that strutting barnyard fowl. The noun "coquet" comes from French, where it is a diminutive of "coq," the French word for rooster. Originally, in the 1600s, English speakers used "coquet" to describe men who indulged in trifling flirtations. Today "coquet" can refer to male or female flirts (though "coquette," the French feminine form, is more commonly used for flirtatious women), and "coquetry" can refer to flirtation by men or women. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 27, 2011 is: feisty • \FYE-stee\ • adjective 1 a : full of nervous energy : fidgety b : touchy, quarrelsome c : exuberantly frisky 2 : having or showing a lively aggressiveness : spunky Examples: Elena found success as an actress on Broadway thanks in part to her feisty spirit and strong work ethic. "Puss, the adorable, boots-wearing, sword-slashing sidekick, already has quite a following, based on his appearance in 'Shrek' II-IV. But feisty, cinematic kitties always have enjoyed a devoted fan base." -- From an article by Jackie Burrell in the San Jose Mercury News, October 23, 2011 Did you know? In certain parts of the United States, most notably the South, the noun "feist" (pronounced to rhyme with "heist") refers to a small dog used in hunting small game animals (such as squirrels). Also spelled "fice" or "fyce," it comes from an obsolete term, "fisting hound," that derived from another obsolete term, "fist," a verb that once meant "to break wind." The term "feisty" has come a long way from its flatulent origin, but its small-dog association still seems relevant: the term conveys the spunk and determination that one may associate with a dog that manages to make its presence known (either through its bark or its bite) despite its small size. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 26, 2011 is: bemuse • \bih-MYOOZ\ • verb 1 : to make confused : puzzle, bewilder 2 : to occupy the attention of : absorb 3 : to cause to have feelings of wry or tolerant amusement Examples: She had neither asked for nor expected her newfound celebrity, and was bemused by all the attention she was receiving. "When Brazil’s central bank stepped into the market to defend the country’s weakening currency last month, many were a little bemused. After all, the country’s finance minister, Guido Mantega, has spent the best part of this year waging a currency war against the dollar and complaining about just how strong the Brazilian real is." -- From a blog post by Samantha Pearson at ft.com (The Financial Times), October 27, 2011 Did you know? In 1735, British poet Alexander Pope lamented, in rhyme, being besieged by "a parson much bemus'd in beer." The cleric in question was apparently one of a horde of would-be poets who plagued Pope with requests that he read their verses. Pope meant that the parson had found his muse -- his inspiration -- in beer. That use of "bemus'd" harks back to a 1705 letter in which Pope wrote of "Poets … irrecoverably Be-mus'd." In both letter and poem, Pope used "bemused" to allude to being inspired by or devoted to one of the Muses, the Greek sister goddesses of art, music, and literature. The lexicographers who followed him, however, interpreted "bemus'd in beer" as meaning "left confused by beer," and their confusion gave rise to the first modern sense of "bemused" above. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 25, 2011 is: placid • \PLASS-id\ • adjective : serenely free of interruption or disturbance; also : complacent Examples: It was fortunate that the horse Meaghan was riding had a placid disposition and didn't try to bolt when the car backfired. "Los Angeles was initially welcoming of them, as it is of anyone with money, but when it became clear that they were using one of the city's biggest franchises … to pay their personal expenses, among other shenanigans, the ire in the normally placid city exploded." -- From an article by Vanessa Grigoriadis in Vanity Fair, August 2011 Did you know? Like "placid," the words "calm," "tranquil," and "serene" all mean "quiet and free from disturbance." "Calm" conveys a quiet composure that contrasts with surrounding chaos, while "tranquil" suggests a very deep quietude and peace. "Serene" is loftier still, carrying a sense of utter peace and happiness. Though "placid" traces back to Latin "placēre," meaning "to please," it isn't always as positive a term as its synonyms. It can imply a lack of agitation rather than a true peace, and it sometimes suggests excessive self-satisfaction or even stupidity. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 24, 2011 is: impute • \im-PYOOT\ • verb 1 : to lay the responsibility or blame for often falsely or unjustly 2 : to credit to a person or a cause Examples: "My enemies have tried to impute sinister motives to my actions," said the politician, "but I assure the voters that I have always placed their interests first and foremost." "Rosenberg wants us to let go of the many illusions that define our conversations about life and science. We impute purpose to things that lack it. We act as though history and culture can be explained in terms of sweeping, general patterns." -- From a book review by Jesse Singal in The Boston Globe, October 20, 2011 Did you know? "Impute" is a somewhat formal word that is used to suggest that someone or something has or is guilty of something. It is similar in meaning to such words as "ascribe" and "attribute," though it is more likely to suggest an association with something that brings discredit. When we "impute" something, we typically impute it to someone or something. You may also encounter the related noun "imputation," which appears in such contexts as "I deny all your imputations of blame." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.