Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 3, 2008 is: modicum • \MAH-dih-kum\ • noun : a small portion : a limited quantity Examples: If you had possessed a modicum of sense, you would have paused to think before accepting such a dangerous job. Did you know? What does "modicum" have to do with a toilet? It just so happens that "modicum" shares the same Latin parent as "commode," which is a synonym of "toilet." "Modicum" and "commode" ultimately derive from the Latin noun "modus," which means "measure." "Modicum" has been a part of the English language since the 15th century. It descends from the Latin "modicus" ("moderate"), which is itself a descendant of "modus." (Logically enough, "modicum" refers to a small "measure" of something.) "Modus" really measures up as a Latin root -- it also gave us "mode" (originally a kind of musical "measure"), "modal," "model," "modern," "modify," and "modulate." More distant relatives include "mete," "moderate," and "modest." 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 May 2, 2008 is: anneal • \uh-NEEL\ • verb 1 : to make (as steel or glass) less brittle by heating and then cooling 2 : strengthen, toughen Examples: The glassmaker shaped the vase with quick, fluid movements and then placed it in the oven to anneal the glass. Did you know? If you were looking for a saying to apply to the word "anneal," it might be "everything old is new again." The word was originally associated with one of the oldest technologies of humankind: fire. It derives from the Old English word "onælan," which was formed from the Old English root "āl," meaning "fire." In its earliest known uses, which date from around the year 1000, "anneal" meant simply "to set on fire." That sense has become obsolete, however, and nowadays "anneal" is associated with a much more recent technological development. It has come to be used in the context of DNA research, in reference to the heating and cooling of double-stranded nucleic acid. 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 May 1, 2008 is: salad days • \SAL-ud-DAYZ\ • noun plural : time of youthful inexperience or indiscretion; also : an early flourishing period : heyday Examples: My grandfather loves to reminisce about his salad days in the small Nebraska town where he grew up. Did you know? A good salad is fresh, crisp, and usually green. Those attributes are often associated (in both vegetables and people) with vitality and immaturity. The first English writer known to use "salad days" to associate the fresh greenness of salad with the vigor and recklessness of youth was William Shakespeare. In Antony and Cleopatra, Cleopatra praises Marc Antony's valor and demands that her serving woman do the same. When the servant instead praises her former consort, Caesar, Cleopatra threatens her -- until the woman notes that she is only echoing Cleopatra's own effusive past praise of Caesar. Cleopatra's reply marks the first English use of "salad days": "My salad days, When I was green in judgment, cold in blood, To say as I said then." 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 April 30, 2008 is: propagate • \PRAH-puh-gayt\ • verb 1 : to reproduce or cause to reproduce biologically : multiply 2 : to cause to spread : extend 3 : to foster growing knowledge of, familiarity with, or acceptance of (as an idea or belief) : publicize Examples: Noah Webster endeavored to propagate a new system of spelling, with only limited success. Did you know? The origins of "propagate" are firmly rooted in the field of horticulture. The word was borrowed into English in the late 16th century from Latin "propagatus," the past participle of the verb "propagare," which means "to set (onto a plant) a small shoot or twig cut for planting or grafting." "Propagare," in turn, derives from "propages," meaning "layer (of a plant), slip, offspring." It makes sense, therefore, that the earliest uses of "propagate" referred to facilitating the reproduction of a plant or animal. Nowadays, however, the meaning of "propagate" can extend to the "reproduction" of something intangible, such as an idea or belief. Incidentally, "propaganda" also comes to us from "propagare," although it took a somewhat different route into 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 April 29, 2008 is: cognizable • \KAHG-nuh-zuh-bul\ • adjective 1 : capable of being judicially heard and determined 2 : capable of being known Examples: The court determined that the plaintiff's claim of having received an unfair grade on the exam was not a legally cognizable action. Did you know? It's easy to recognize the "cogni-" in "cognizable" and in other English words that have to do with knowing: "precognition," "incognito," "recognition," and "cognitive," for example. They're all from Latin "cognoscere" ("to know")."Cognizable" was formed in the 17th century from the root of "cognizance," which means "knowledge." "Cognizance" in turn traces to "cognoscere" by way of Anglo-French "conissance." "Cognizable" was used in the legal sense almost from its introduction, and that's the sense that is far and away the most common today. 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 April 28, 2008 is: approbation • \ap-ruh-BAY-shun\ • noun 1 : an act of approving formally or officially 2 : commendation, praise Examples: Some movie producers care more about making a profit than winning the approbation of critics. Did you know? "Approbation" is similar in meaning to "approval," and it is also very close to "approval" etymologically. Both words trace back to the Latin verb "approbare," which means "to prove" or "to approve." "Approbation" meant "proof" when it first appeared in English in the 14th century, and by the early 1500s it had come to mean "formal or official approval," a sense it still retains in certain ecclesiastical contexts. Today, however, we mostly use "approbation" in the looser sense of "approval, admiration, or praise." The related verb "approbate" means "to approve or sanction," and the adjective "approbatory" means "expressing approval or commendation." 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 April 27, 2008 is: mélange • \may-LAHNZH (the N is not pronounced, but the vowel is nasalized)\ • noun : a mixture often of incongruous elements Examples: Critics panned the new film as an awkward mélange of heavy drama, zany comedy, and overblown special effects. Did you know? "Mélange" got mixed into the melting pot of English back in the 1600s. It derives from the Middle French verb "mesler," which means "to mix." "Mélange" is actually one of several French contributions to the English body of words for miscellaneous mixtures. "Pastiche" (meaning "a composition made up of selections of different works," or broadly, "a disorderly mixture, hodgepodge") is borrowed from French, and "medley" and "potpourri" have roots in French, too. There's also the lesser known "gallimaufry" (meaning "hodgepodge"), which comes from the Middle French "galimafree" (meaning "stew"). 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 April 26, 2008 is: orientate • \OR-ee-un-tayt\ • verb 1 : to set in a definite position especially in relation the points of the compass 2 : to acquaint with an existing situation or environment 3 : to direct toward the interests of a particular group Examples: "She learned to orientate new service members in the principles, practices and tools necessary to function in the Air Force." (Ryan Davis, St. Petersburg Times, October 5, 2000) Did you know? "Orientate" is a synonym of "orient," and it has attracted criticism as a consequence. "Orient," which dates from the mid-18th century, is in fact the older of the two verbs -- "orientate" joined the language in the mid-19th century. Both can mean "to cause to face toward the east" (and, not surprisingly, they are related to the noun "Orient," meaning "the East"). Both also have broader meanings that relate to setting or determining direction or position, either literally or figuratively. Some critics dislike "orientate" because it is one syllable longer than "orient," but you can decide for yourself how important that consideration is to you. Personal choice is the primary deciding factor, although "orientate" tends to be used more often in British English than it is in 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 April 25, 2008 is: avatar • \AV-uh-tar\ • noun 1 : the incarnation of a Hindu deity (as Vishnu) 2 a : an incarnation in human form b : an embodiment (as of a concept or philosophy) often in a person 3 : an electronic image that represents and is manipulated by a computer user (as in a computer game) Examples: Before they started playing the game, Aaron and Kyle customized their avatars. Did you know? "Avatar" derives from a Sanskrit word meaning "descent," and when it first appeared in English in the late 18th century, it referred to the descent of a deity to the earth -- typically, the incarnation in earthly form of Vishnu or another Hindu deity. It later came to refer to any incarnation in human form, and then to any embodiment (such as that of a concept or philosophy), whether or not in the form a person. In the age of technology, "avatar" has developed another sense -- it can now be used for the image that a person chooses as his or her "embodiment" in an electronic medium. 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 April 24, 2008 is: inanition • \in-uh-NISH-un\ • noun 1 : the exhausted condition that results from lack of food and water 2 : the absence or loss of social, moral, or intellectual vitality or vigor Examples: The playwright explained that his work reflected the lethargy and inanition of the age. Did you know? "Inanition" describes a state of suffering from either a literal emptiness (of sustenance) or a metaphorical emptiness (of interest or energy). So it will probably come as no surprise to you to learn that the word ultimately derives from the same idea in Latin. "Inanition," which first appeared in Middle English in the 14th century as "in-anisioun," can be traced back to the Latin verb "inanire," meaning "to make empty," which in turn comes from "inanis" (meaning "empty" or "inane"). Incidentally, the English word "inane" was adopted in the mid-17th century directly from "inanis." 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 April 23, 2008 is: truculent • \TRUCK-yuh-lunt\ • adjective 1 : feeling or displaying ferocity : cruel, savage 2 : deadly, destructive 3 : scathingly harsh : vitriolic 4 : aggressively self-assertive : belligerent Examples: The small country was ruled by a truculent dictator. Did you know? "Truculent" derives from "truculentus," a form of the Latin adjective "trux," meaning "savage." It has been used in English since the 16th century to describe people or things that are cruel and ferocious, such as tyrannical leaders or wars, and has also come to mean "deadly or destructive" (as in "a truculent disease"). In current use, however, it has lost much of its etymological fierceness. It now frequently serves to describe speech or writing that is notably harsh (as in "truculent criticism") or a person who is notably self-assertive and surly (such as "a truculent schoolboy"). Some usage commentators have criticized these extended uses because they do not match the savagery of the word's original sense, but they are well-established and perfectly standard. 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 April 22, 2008 is: biodiversity • \bye-oh-duh-VER-suh-tee\ • noun : biological diversity in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals Examples: Today's tropical rainforests represent a treasure trove of biodiversity unmatched in any other environment. Did you know? "Biodiversity may become the rallying call for the next decade," wrote David Wake in the journal Science in 1989. Indeed, "biodiversity" is a word you're likely to encounter in writing about ecology and the environment today. But when Wake used it, "biodiversity" was still a relatively new addition to the English language, having first appeared in writing in the mid-1980s. Of course, the roots of "biodiversity" are much older. It evolved from a commingling of the descendants of the Greek noun "bios," which means "mode of life," and the Latin verb "divertere," which means "to turn aside" or "to go different ways." 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 April 21, 2008 is: containerize • \kun-TAY-nuh-ryze\ • verb 1 : to ship by a method in which a large amount of material (as merchandise) is packaged into large standardized containers 2 : to pack in containers Examples: The museum plans to containerize the pieces of the art collection until construction of a new exhibit area is complete. Did you know? You can probably guess the etymology of "containerize" quite easily -- it was formed around 1956 by adding "-ize" to "container" to create a verb. "Containerize" didn't start out with the meaning "to put in a container," however. It originally meant "to ship by containerization" -- that is, to ship using a method in which a large amount of material is packaged into large standardized containers. The more general "pack in containers" sense came somewhat later, but it is now becoming more common. These days, for example, you might containerize a plant or your household clutter. 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 April 20, 2008 is: petulant • \PET-chuh-lunt\ • adjective 1 : insolent or rude in speech or behavior 2 : characterized by temporary or capricious ill humor : peevish Examples: "'What is it all about?' cried Dorian in his petulant way, flinging himself down on the sofa." (Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray) Did you know? "Petulant" is one of many English words that are related to the Latin verb "petere," which means "to go to," "to attack," "to seek," or "to request." "Petere" is a relative of the Latin adjective "petulans" ("impudent"), from which "petulant" was derived. Some other words with connections to "petere" are "compete" and "appetite." "Competere," the Late Latin precursor to "compete," is a combination of the prefix "com-" and the verb "petere." The joining of "ad-" and "petere" led to "appetere" ("to strive after"), and eventually to Latin "appetitus," the source of our "appetite." Additional descendants of "petere" are "petition," "perpetual," and "impetus." 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 April 19, 2008 is: quixotic • \kwik-SAH-tik\ • adjective 1 : foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals; especially : marked by rash lofty romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action 2 : capricious, unpredictable Examples: Marta has been desperately trying to convince her friends to give up their cars and computers and return to nature on Earth Day, but it has been a quixotic crusade. Did you know? If you guessed that "quixotic" has something to do with Don Quixote, you're absolutely right. The hero of the 17th-century Spanish novel El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha (by Miguel de Cervantes) didn't change the world by tilting at windmills, but he did leave a linguistic legacy in English. The adjective "quixotic" is based on his name and has been used to describe unrealistic idealists since at least the early 18th century. The novel has given English other words as well. "Dulcinea," the name of Quixote's beloved, has come to mean "mistress" or "sweetheart," and "rosinante," which is sometimes used to refer to an old, broken-down horse, comes from the name of the hero's less-than-gallant steed. *Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence. 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 April 18, 2008 is: rescript • \REE-skript\ • noun 1 : a written answer of a Roman emperor or of a pope to a legal inquiry or petition 2 : an official or authoritative order, decree, edict, or announcement 3 : an act or instance of rewriting Examples: The committee agreed on a rescript of the rules. Did you know? "Rescript" was first used in the 15th century for the written reply of a sovereign or pope to a question about some matter of law or state, and then for any type of authoritative declaration. These days, however, people are more likely to use it as a synonym of "rewrite," a use that began in the 19th century. Charlotte Brontë, for one, used it in her novel Villette. "I wrote [the letter] three times . . . subduing the phrases at every rescript," her narrator confesses. 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 April 17, 2008 is: démarche • \day-MARSH\ • noun 1 a : a course of action : maneuver b : a diplomatic or political initiative or maneuver 2 : a petition or protest presented through diplomatic channels Examples: The ambassador delivered a démarche objecting to the regime's harsh treatment of refugees. Did you know? When it comes to international diplomacy, the French may not always have the last word -- but they have quite a few, which they've shared with English. "Démarche," which in French can mean "gait," "walk," or "action," among other things, is one of the earliest of these; we started using it in the 1600s. It was first used generally in the sense of "a maneuver," and before long it developed a specific use in the world of diplomacy. Some of the other diplomacy-related words we use that come from French include "attaché," "chargé d'affaires," "communiqué," "détente," and "agrément" (a word used in diplomatic parlance for approval of a diplomatic representative) -- not to mention the words "diplomacy" and "diplomat" themselves. 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 April 16, 2008 is: semelparous • \seh-MEL-puh-rus\ • adjective : reproducing or breeding only once in a lifetime Examples: Each year the semelparous salmon return to the stream where they hatched to spawn, and they die soon thereafter. Did you know? The combining form "-parous" was first used in English by the 17th-century physician and writer Sir Thomas Browne, who wrote about organisms that were "multiparous" ("producing more than one at a birth"), "oviparous" ("producing eggs that develop outside the maternal body"), and "viviparous" ("producing living young instead of eggs from within the body"). The suffix is based on the Latin verb "parere," meaning "to give birth to," which is also a relative of the word that gave us "parent." "Semelparous," the youngest offspring of "-parous," was born in 1954. Its other parent is "semel," the Latin word for "once." 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 April 15, 2008 is: detoxify • \dee-TAHK-suh-fye\ • verb 1 a : to remove a harmful substance (as a poison or toxin) or the effect of such from b : to render (a harmful substance) harmless 2 : to free (as a drug user or an alcoholic) from an intoxicating or an addictive substance in the body or from dependence on or addiction to such a substance 3 : neutralize Examples: Yi wrote her term paper on the city's efforts to detoxify a contaminated landfill. Did you know? These days, "detoxify" can mean "to free (someone) from a substance addiction" (and yes, it's the source of "detox," a more recent word that also refers to getting drugs or alcohol out of a person's system). Originally, however, detoxification was something done to things rather than to people. In its earliest uses -- from about 1905 -- "detoxify" referred to the removal of poison, or of poisonous or damaging properties, from a harmful substance, or to the removal of poisonous or toxic substances from something contaminated (such as the bloodstream).The specific application to removing "poison" from an addict is relatively new, dating to the mid-20th century. Today, "detoxify" is also often used generally in reference to counteracting the activity or effect of anything harmful (such as propaganda). *Indicates the senses illustrated in the example sentence. 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 April 14, 2008 is: deglutition • \dee-gloo-TISH-un\ • noun : the act or process of swallowing Examples: The speech pathologist noted that the patient had difficulty with deglutition. Did you know? "Deglutition" comes to us from the French word "déglutition," which is derived from the Latin verb "deglutire," meaning "to swallow down." "Deglutire," in turn, derives from "de-" and "glutire," a verb meaning "to swallow." "Deglutition" is a fairly rare word these days, but it has a relative in English that is quite familiar: the noun "glutton," meaning "one who eats to excess." "Glutton" comes from a Latin word ("glutto") that is related to "glutire." 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 April 13, 2008 is: paucity • \PAW-suh-tee\ • noun 1 : smallness of number : fewness 2 : smallness of quantity : dearth Examples: The manager overheard two customers complaining about the paucity of stylish designs in the store. Did you know? "Paucity," which was first recorded in English in the 15th century, comes to us from the Middle English word "paucite," and is ultimately derived from "paucus," Latin for "little." It is not surprising, then, that "paucity" came to refer to a "littleness" of numbers (as in "a paucity of facts or studies") or quantity ("a paucity of evidence"). One can even use paucity when speaking of abstract concepts, as in "a paucity of experience or knowledge." 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 April 12, 2008 is: ascetic • \uh-SET-ik\ • adjective 1 : practicing strict self-denial as a measure of personal and especially spiritual discipline 2 : austere in appearance, manner, or attitude Examples: Ms. Walter's plain, dark clothing and pulled-back hair give her an ascetic appearance, but she is actually very warm and fun-loving. Did you know? "Ascetic" comes from "askētikos," a Greek adjective meaning "laborious," and ultimately traces back to the Greek verb "askein," which means "exercise" or "work." There aren't many other English words from "askein," but there's no dearth of synonyms for "ascetic." "Severe" and "austere," for example, are two words that share with "ascetic" the basic meaning "given to or marked by strict discipline and firm restraint." "Ascetic" implies abstention from pleasure, comfort, or self-indulgence as a spiritual discipline, whereas "severe" implies standards enforced without indulgence or laxity and may suggest harshness (as in "severe military discipline"). "Austere" stresses absence of warmth, color, or feeling and may apply to rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self-denial (as in "living an austere life in the country"). 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 April 11, 2008 is: alley-oop • \al-ee-OOP\ • noun : a basketball play in which a leaping player catches a pass above the basket and immediately dunks the ball; also : the usually looping pass thrown on such a play Examples: "With alley-oops, slam dunks and big smiles, the West [All-Stars] showed why Friday night's contest was called an all-star game . . ." (Peter Pupello, St. Petersburg Times [Florida], March 29, 2008) Did you know? "Alley-oop" was first heard by English ears under the big tops of early 20th-century circuses. When acrobats were about to leap to their trapezes, they would often cry the similarly sounding French word "allez-oop" -- an interjection meaning roughly "go up." Both "acrobat" and "trapeze" are also French derivatives, leaping into the English language in the 19th century, so the French parentage of "alley-oop" is not surprising. By the 1950s, the word was also being used on the gridiron and the hardwood for show-stopping arcing passes and leaping dunks. Its latest venue is the half-pipe, where skateboarders and snowboarders pull "alley-oop" spinning tricks. 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 April 10, 2008 is: velleity • \vuh-LEE-uh-tee\ • noun 1 : the lowest degree of volition 2 : a slight wish or tendency : inclination Examples: Samuel sometimes mentions that he would like to go back to school, but his interest strikes me as more of a velleity than a firm statement of purpose. Did you know? Allow us, if you will, to volunteer our knowledge about "velleity." It is a derivative of the New Latin noun "velleitas," from the Latin verb "velle," meaning "to wish or will." You might also wish to know that "velle" is the word that gave us "voluntary" (by way of Anglo-French "voluntarie" and Latin "voluntarius") and "volunteer" (by way of French "voluntaire"). While both of those words might imply a wish to do something (specifically, to offer one's help) and the will to act upon it, the less common "velleity" refers to a wish or inclination that is so insignificant that a person feels little or no compulsion to act. 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 April 9, 2008 is: stygian • \STIJ-ee-un\ • adjective, often capitalized 1 : of or relating to the river Styx 2 : extremely dark, gloomy, or forbidding Examples: When the power went out in the building, the halls and stairwells were plunged into stygian darkness. Did you know? "Stygian" comes to us (by way of Latin "stygius" and Greek "stygios") from "Styx," the name of the principal river in Hades, the underworld of the dead in Greek mythology. This is the river over which Charon the boatman was said to ferry the spirits of the dead; the Greeks and Romans would place a coin in the mouth or hand of the deceased to serve as fare. It is also the river by which the gods swore their most binding oaths, according to the epics of Homer. English speakers have been using "stygian" to mean "of or relating to the river Styx" since the early 16th century. From there the meaning broadened to describe things that are as dark, dreary, and menacing as one might imagine Hades and the river Styx to be. 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 April 8, 2008 is: anthropomorphic • \an-thruh-puh-MOR-fik\ • adjective 1 : described or thought of as having a human form or human attributes 2 : ascribing human characteristics to nonhuman things Examples: To encourage healthy eating habits, the children's TV show features anthropomorphic fruits and vegetables that talk about good nutrition. Did you know? "Anthropomorphic" comes from the Late Latin word "anthropomorphus," which itself traces to a Greek term birthed from the roots "anthrōp-" (meaning "human being") and "-morphos" ("-morphous"). Those ancient Greek roots have given form and personality to many English words. "Anthrōp-" relatives include "anthropic" ("relating to human beings or the period of their existence on earth"), "anthropocentric" ("considering human beings the center of the universe"), "anthropoid" (an ape), and "anthropology" ("the study of human beings and their ancestors"). Derivatives of "-morphos" often end in "-morphism," as in "polymorphism" ("the quality or state of existing in or assuming different forms"), or "-morphic," as in "biomorphic" ("resembling the forms of living organisms"). 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 April 7, 2008 is: luftmensch • \LOOFT-mensh (the "OO" is as in "foot")\ • noun : an impractical contemplative person having no definite business or income Examples: I worry that my nephew, who has several advanced degrees but no practical skills, will be a luftmensch all his life. Did you know? Are you someone who always seems to have your head in the clouds? Do you have trouble getting down to the lowly business of earning a living? If so, you may deserve to be labeled a "luftmensch." That airy appellation is an adaptation of the Yiddish "luftmentsh," which breaks down into "luft" (a Germanic root meaning "air" that is also related to the English words "loft" and "lofty") plus "mentsh," meaning "human being." "Luftmensch" was first introduced to English prose in 1907, when Israel Zangwill wrote, "The word 'Luftmensch' flew into Barstein's mind. Nehemiah was not an earth-man. . .. He was an air-man, floating on facile wings." 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 April 6, 2008 is: presentiment • \prih-ZENT-uh-munt\ • noun : a feeling that something will or is about to happen : premonition Examples: Beth had a presentiment that something out of the ordinary was going to happen, and, sure enough, she soon got a phone call from her estranged brother. Did you know? "'Do you ever have presentiments, Mr. Flintwich?' 'I am not sure that I know what you mean by the term, sir,' replied that gentleman. 'Say, in this case, Mr. Flintwich, undefined anticipations of pleasure to come.' 'I can't say I'm sensible of such a sensation at present,' returned Mr. Flintwich, with the utmost gravity." Nothing sensational said here, perhaps, but Mr. Flintwich shows a sensitivity to words that, like "presentiment," are related to the Latin verb "sentire," ("to feel"). He uses two of these words, and we've added three more. The quote is from Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit, and the words are "sensible," "sensation," "sensational," "sensitivity," and "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 April 5, 2008 is: spinous • \SPY-nuss\ • adjective 1 a : covered or armed with spines; broadly : bearing spines, prickles, or thorns b : slender and pointed like a spine 2 : difficult or unpleasant to handle or meet : thorny Examples: Both Kate and Nelson were uncomfortable answering the spinous, prying questions asked by their marriage counselor. Did you know? English writers have been associating spines with things that are difficult to take since at least 1586, when the English dramatist Thomas Kyd used the word "spiny" to describe his "cares." "Spinous" took on its figurative use in 1638, when the phrase "spinous criticisms" appeared. "Thorny explications" followed shortly after that, in 1653. Emily Dickinson gets the credit for giving the word "prickly" its "troublesome" sense. In her 1862 poem that begins "The Child's faith is new," she wrote, "To hold mistaken / His pretty estimates / Of Prickly Things." 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 April 4, 2008 is: gild the lily • \GILD-thuh-LILL-ee\ • phrasal verb : to add unnecessary ornamentation to something beautiful in its own right Examples: My sister has good bone structure and lovely skin, so she doesn't need to gild the lily by wearing makeup. Did you know? You might be aware that "gild the lily" is attributed to Shakespeare, but there is a catch -- the phrase used in Shakespeare's play King John is actually "to paint the lily." The quotation reads, in part, "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily / To throw a perfume on the violet. . .. / Is wasteful and ridiculous excess." There are those who criticize "gild the lily" as a misquotation, and "paint the lily" does appear from time to time. But "gild the lily" has become firmly established, and it holds true to the spirit of the original version, even if the wording does not. 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 April 3, 2008 is: omphalos • \AHM-fuh-lahss\ • noun : a central point : hub, focal point Examples: "New Yorkers tend to see their city as the world's omphalos." (Alexandra Simou, The New York Sun, February 23, 2005) Did you know? "Omphalos" originated as an ancient Greek word meaning "navel" and is distantly related to two other words of the same meaning, Latin "umbilicus" and Old English "nafela." (The latter of these is the source of our word "navel.") The ancient Greeks also used "omphalos" to refer to a sacred, rounded stone in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi that was supposed to mark the center of the earth. In the 19th century, English speakers borrowed "omphalos" for this sense and its more general "center of activity" sense, as well as to refer to raised ornamentation on a shield or in the base of a cup or dish. In the 1920s, "omphalos" made another contribution to English via the word "omphaloskepsis," which means "contemplation of one's navel." 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 April 2, 2008 is: coalesce • \koh-uh-LESS\ • verb 1 : to grow together 2 a : to unite into a whole : fuse b : to unite for a common end : join forces 3 : to arise from the combination of distinct elements Examples: The columnist urged party members to set aside their differences and coalesce around the candidate. Did you know? "Coalesce" unites the prefix "co-" ("together") and the Latin verb "alescere," meaning "to grow." (The words "adolescent" and "adult" also grew from "alescere.") "Coalesce," which first appeared in English in the mid-17th century, is one of a number of verbs in English (along with "mix," "commingle," "merge," and "amalgamate") that refer to the act of combining parts into a whole. In particular, "coalesce" usually implies the merging of similar parts to form a cohesive unit. 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 April 1, 2008 is: shenanigan • \shuh-NAN-ih-gun\ • noun 1 : a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose 2 a : tricky or questionable practices or conduct -- usually used in plural b : high-spirited or mischievous activity -- usually used in plural Examples: The CEO resigned amid accusations of financial shenanigans and dubious deals. Did you know? The history of "shenanigan" is as tricky and mischievous as its meaning. Etymologists have some theories about its origins, but no one has been able to prove them. All we can say for certain is that the earliest known use of the word in print appeared in the April 25, 1855, issue of San Francisco's Town Talk. Although the "underhanded trick" sense of the word is oldest, the most common senses in use now are "tricky or questionable practices" (as in "political shenanigans") and "high-spirited behavior" (as in "youthful shenanigans"). 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 March 31, 2008 is: vivacious • \vuh-VAY-shus\ • adjective : lively in temper, conduct, or spirit : sprightly Examples: The hostess was a pretty, vivacious woman with a knack for making people feel comfortable. Did you know? It's no surprise that "vivacious" means "full of life," since it can be traced back to the Latin verb "vivere," meaning "to live." The word was created around the mid-17th century using the Latin adjective "vivax," meaning "long-lived, vigorous, high-spirited." Other descendants of "vivere" in English include "survive," "revive," and "victual" -- all of which came to life during the 15th century -- and "vivid" and "convivial," both of which surfaced around the same time as "vivacious." Somewhat surprisingly, the word "live" is not related; it comes to us from the Old English word "libban." 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 March 30, 2008 is: tarantism • \TAIR-un-tiz-um\ • noun : a dancing mania or malady of late medieval Europe Examples: Victims of tarantism were said to dance ecstatically until they collapsed in total exhaustion. Did you know? Between the 15th and 17th centuries, Taranto, Italy, was hit by a dance craze unlike any other. The town was afflicted by a malady that would come to be known as "tarantism" and was characterized by a hysterical impulse to dance. Some people claimed tarantism was caused by the bite of the European wolf spider, which is also known as the tarantula (and is also named after Taranto); such folks declared that dancing off the venom was the only cure. Musicians supposedly traveled to the region to help cure the epidemic, and some believe that the Italian folk dance called the "tarantella" resulted from the craze (though it is also possible that the name of that dance derived independently from "Taranto" and has no connection with "tarantism"). 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 March 29, 2008 is: arcadia • \ar-KAY-dee-uh\ • noun, often capitalized : a region or scene of simple pleasure and quiet Examples: Artists and writers view the sleepy community as an arcadia where they can focus on their work. Did you know? Arcadia is a mountainous, landlocked region of Greece. The Roman poet Virgil recognized that Arcadia's isolation and bucolic character make it a perfect setting for pastoral poetry, and over the centuries many other writers have agreed. In the poems of Arcadia, naive and ideal innocence is often unaffected by the passions of the larger world. Shepherds play their pipes and sigh with longing for flirtatious nymphs; shepherdesses sing to their flocks; and goat-footed nature gods cavort in the fields and woods. Now English speakers often use "arcadia" to designate a place of rustic innocence and simple, quiet pleasure. "Arcadian" can mean "idyllically pastoral" or "idyllically innocent, simple, or untroubled." 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 March 28, 2008 is: disremember • \dis-rih-MEM-ber\ • verb : forget Examples: "'It was the British who did it,' I said quickly. 'I disremember the place and time....'" (E.L. Doctorow, Loon Lake) Did you know? English has been depending upon the word "forget" since before the 12th century, but in 1805 a new rival appeared in print -- "disremember." A critic in 1869 called "disremember" both "obsolete" and "a low vulgarism," and later grammarians have agreed; it has been labeled "provincial and archaic," and in 1970 Harry Shaw opined that "disremember" was "an illiteracy," adding, "never use this word in standard English." (By 1975, Shaw amended his opinion to "this word is dialectal rather than illiterate.") "Forget" is indeed a vastly more popular word, but "disremember" still turns up occasionally, often in dialectal or humorous contexts. 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 March 27, 2008 is: colleague • \KAH-leeg\ • noun : an associate in a profession or in a civil or ecclesiastical office Examples: Rochelle's creativity, professional demeanor, and ability to get things done soon earned her the respect of her colleagues. Did you know? Which of the following words come from the same source as "colleague"? college legacy collaborate allegation collar relegate delegate It might be easier to guess if you know that the ancestor in question is "legare," a Latin verb meaning "to choose or send as a deputy or emissary" or "to bequeath." All of the words in the list above except "collaborate" (which comes from the Latin "collaborare," meaning "to labor together") and "collar" (from "collum," Latin for "neck") are descendants of "legare." 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 March 26, 2008 is: sericeous • \suh-RISH-us\ • adjective : covered with fine silky hair Examples: The shapes of the aster's sericeous leaves range from lanceolate or oblong to broadly elliptic. Did you know? In the writings of the ancient Greeks, there is mention of the Sēres, an eastern Asian people who made "sērikos" fabrics. Historians now believe that the Sēres were the Chinese, from whom the ancient Greeks first obtained silk. The ancient Romans wove the Sēres' name into their language, creating "sericum," the Latin word for silk. The English word "silk" is also assumed to be spun -- with some very dramatic alterations from Old English to Middle English -- from the same Greek fiber. Both "silk" and "silken" have been in the English language for many, many centuries, but scientists of the 18th century wanted a new term to describe the silky hairs on some leaves and bodies, and so they adapted the Late Latin word "sericeus" ("silken") to create "sericeous." 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 March 25, 2008 is: rodomontade • \rah-duh-mun-TAYD\ • noun 1 : a bragging speech 2 : vain boasting or bluster : rant Examples: My arrogant uncle is given to frequent flights of rodomontade about what a hard-working, self-made man he is. Did you know? "Rodomontade" (which can also be spelled "rhodomontade") originated in Italian poetry. Rodomonte was a fierce and boastful king in Orlando Innamorato, Count Matteo M. Boiardo's late 15th century epic, and later in the sequel Orlando Furioso, written by poet Lodovico Ariosto in 1516. In the late 16th century, English speakers began to use "rodomont" as a noun meaning "braggart." Soon afterwards, "rodomontade" entered the language as a noun (meaning "empty bluster" or "bragging speech") and later as an adjective (meaning "boastful" or "ranting"). The noun "rodomont" is no longer used in English, but "rodomontade" is still with us. 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 March 24, 2008 is: potentate • \POH-tun-tayt\ • noun : ruler, sovereign; broadly : one who wields great power or sway Examples: His work as a high-level diplomat frequently brings him into contact with foreign potentates. Did you know? "Potentate" has been wielding its power in English since the 15th century. It comes from the Late Latin "potentatus," which in turn was formed from the Latin "potent-," meaning "powerful." Other descendants of "potent-" in English include "potent" itself, "impotent," and "omnipotent," as well as the archaic "armipotent" and very rare "bellipotent" (meaning, respectively, "mighty in battle" and "mighty in war"). Even "power" and "powerful" can be traced back to "potent-." 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 March 23, 2008 is: infantilize • \IN-fun-tye-lyze\ • verb 1 : to cause to be or remain like an infant or young child 2 : to treat like an infant or young child Examples: Stanley still lives with his parents, who are inclined to infantilize him to such a degree that he'll probably never make it on his own. Did you know? "Infantilize" is just a baby, relatively speaking, in the English language family. It first saw the light of day in the early 1940s, when social scientists started using it to discuss ways that humans or human activity can prolong or encourage dependency in other humans by treating them as helpless. The adjective "infantile," which gave birth to "infantilize," is far more mature, however -- it's over 300 years old. "Infantile" sometimes literally means "relating to infants" -- that is, to children in the first year of life -- but it also has a broader meaning; if I chide someone for his or her infantile behavior I simply mean that the person is acting immature or childish. 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 March 22, 2008 is: antediluvian • \an-tih-dih-LOO-vee-un\ • adjective 1 : of or relating to the period before the flood described in the Bible 2 a : made, evolved, or developed a long time ago b : extremely primitive or outmoded Examples: The researchers argued that the lab's equipment was antediluvian and long overdue for replacement. Did you know? Before there was "antediluvian," there were the Latin words "ante" (meaning "before") and "diluvium" (meaning "flood"). As long ago as 1646, English speakers were using "antediluvian" to describe conditions they believed existed before the great flood described in the biblical account of Noah and the ark. By the early 1700s, the word had come to be used as both an adjective and a noun referring to anything or anyone prodigiously old. Charles Darwin used it to characterize the mighty "antediluvian trees" some prehistoric mammals might have used as a food source, and in his American Notes, Charles Dickens described an elderly lady who informed him, "It is an extremely proud and pleasant thing . . . to be an antediluvian." 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 March 21, 2008 is: netiquette • \NET-ih-kut\ • noun : etiquette governing communication on the Internet Examples: "On the end-user side, unsolicited e-mail advertising has long been considered a breach of netiquette." (Al Bredenberg, Internet World, July 1996) Did you know? When the first computer networks were being developed in the 1950s and 60s, few people could have predicted the extent to which the Internet would revolutionize our culture -- and our language. These days, you don't have to be a "computernik" (a computer expert or enthusiast) or a "mouse potato" (someone who spends a great deal of time using a computer) to be familiar with words like "blog," "download," or the verb "google." And even "computerphobes" are likely to know that in modern jargon, a "mouse" isn't necessarily a small furry rodent and the newest "virus" may be more of a threat to your computer than to your health. "Netiquette," a blend of "net" (as in "Internet") and "etiquette," joined our language in the late 1980s. 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 March 20, 2008 is: compunctious • \kum-PUNK-shus\ • adjective 1 : arising from remorse or regret 2 : feeling remorse or regret Examples: Emily's compunctious feelings eventually got the better of her, so she apologized to Sean for the cruel things she had said in the argument. Did you know? William Shakespeare never had any compunction about coining or using new words, and "compunctious" debuted in Macbeth (1605). In that play, the murderous Lady Macbeth beseeches the spirits to "stop up the access and passage to remorse, that no compunctious visitings of nature shake my fell purpose...." Shakespeare formed the adjective from the noun "compunction," meaning "remorse," and the suffix "-ous," which is often used to create adjectives indicating that something or someone has or is full of a particular quality. "Compunction" came to English through Anglo-French from the Late Latin noun "compunctio," which in turn evolved from the Latin verb "compungere," meaning "to prick hard" or "to sting." 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 March 19, 2008 is: slapdash • \SLAP-dash\ • adjective : haphazard, slipshod Examples: Brett was sharply reprimanded for his slapdash reporting after he submitted a story that omitted some important facts to his editor at the newspaper. Did you know? The first known use of "slapdash" in English came in 1679 from the British poet and dramatist John Dryden, who used it as an adverb in his play The kind keeper; or Mr. Limberham: "Down I put the notes slap-dash." The Oxford English Dictionary defines this sense in part as "[w]ith, or as with, a slap and a dash," perhaps suggesting the notion of an action (such as painting) performed with quick, imprecise movements. Over 100 years later, the word acquired the adjectival sense with which we are more familiar today, describing something done in a hasty, careless, or haphazard manner. 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 March 18, 2008 is: titanic • \tye-TAN-ik\ • adjective : having great magnitude, force, or power : colossal Examples: The slugger launched a titanic home run that landed in the parking lot beyond the stadium's center-field wall. Did you know? Before becoming the name of one of the most famous ships in history, "titanic" referred to the Titans, a family of giants in Greek mythology who were believed to have once ruled the earth. They were subsequently overpowered and replaced by the younger Olympian gods under the leadership of Zeus. The size and power of the Titans is memorialized in the adjective "titanic" and in the noun "titanium," a metallic element of exceptional strength that is used in the production of steel. 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 March 17, 2008 is: crwth • \KROOTH (rhymes with "booth")\ • noun : an ancient Celtic stringed instrument that is plucked or bowed Examples: "He intricately rhymes, to the music of crwth and pibgorn, all night long." (Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood) Did you know? "Crwth" is the Welsh name for an ancient Celtic instrument that is similar to a violin. In Middle English, the instrument's name was spelled "crouth" before metamorphosing to "crowd," a word still used in some dialects of England to refer to a violin. The Welsh word can also refer to a swelling or bulging body, and we can speculate that it came to be used for the instrument because of the violin's bulging shape. Other Celtic words for "violin" also have meanings referring to rounded appearances. In Gaelic, for example, "cruit" can mean "harp" or "violin" as well as "hump" or "hunch." As a final note, we would like to mention (in case you were wondering) that a pibgorn is an ancient wind instrument similar to the hornpipe; its name comes from the Welsh word "pib," meaning "pipe," and "corn," meaning "horn." 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 March 16, 2008 is: meticulous • \muh-TIK-yuh-lus\ • adjective : marked by extreme or excessive care in the consideration or treatment of details Examples: Brianna will excel as a proofreader because she is meticulous by nature. Did you know? It may surprise you to learn that "meticulous" is derived from the Latin word for "fearful" -- "meticulosus" -- and ultimately comes from the Latin noun "metus," meaning "fear." Although "meticulous" currently has no "fearful" meanings, it was originally used as a synonym of "frightened" and "timid." This sense had fallen into disuse by 1700, and in the 19th century "meticulous" acquired a new sense of "overly and timidly careful" (probably influenced by the French word "méticuleux"). This in turn led to the current meaning of "painstakingly careful," with no connotations of fear at all. The newest use was controversial among some usage commentators at first, but it has since become by far the most common meaning and is no longer considered an error. 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 March 15, 2008 is: fruition • \froo-ISH-un\ • noun 1 : pleasurable use or possession : enjoyment 2 a : the state of bearing fruit b : realization Examples: Colton's long-held dream of owning his own home came to fruition last year when he purchased a small bungalow on a quiet side street. Did you know? "Fruition" must come from the word "fruit," right? Not exactly. "Fruition" and "fruit" are related (both ultimately come from the Latin verb "frui," meaning "to enjoy"), but they were derived independently. The original meaning of "fruition" had nothing to do with fruit. Rather, when the term was first used in the early 15th century, it meant only "pleasurable use or possession." Not until the 19th century did "fruition" develop a second meaning, "the state of bearing fruit," possibly as the result of a mistaken assumption that "fruition" evolved from "fruit." The "state of bearing fruit" sense was followed quickly by the figurative application to anything that can be "realized" and metaphorically bear fruit, such as a plan or a project. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.