Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 5, 2007 is: toady • \TOH-dee\ • noun : one who flatters in the hope of gaining favors : sycophant Examples: The editorial unfairly characterizes the appointee as one of the mayor's toadies, ignoring her long record of unselfish service to the community. Did you know? We can thank old-time toadeaters for today's word. In 17th-century Europe, a toadeater was a showman's assistant whose job was to make the boss look good. The toadeater would eat (or pretend to eat) what were supposed to be poisonous toads. His or her charlatan master would then "save" the toad-afflicted assistant by expelling the poison. It's little wonder that such assistants became symbolic of extreme subservience, and that "toadeater" became a word for any obsequious underling. By the early 1800s, it had been shortened and altered to "toady," our current term for a servile self-seeker. 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, 2007 is: rambunctious • \ram-BUNK-shuss\ • adjective : marked by uncontrollable exuberance : unruly Examples: By the time she finally got the three rambunctious children to bed, the babysitter was exhausted. Did you know? "Rambunctious" first appeared in print in 1830, at a time when the fast-growing United States was forging its identity and indulging in a fashion for colorful new coinages suggestive of the young nation's optimism and exuberance. "Rip-roaring," "scalawag," "hornswoggle," and "skedaddle" are other examples of the lively language of that era. Did Americans alter the largely British "rumbustious" because it sounded, well, British? That could be. "Rumbustious," which first appeared in Britain in the late 1700s, was probably based on "robustious," a much older adjective that meant both "robust" and "boisterous." 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, 2007 is: escapade • \ESS-kuh-payd\ • noun : a usually adventurous action that runs counter to approved or conventional conduct Examples: His latest film is a screwball comedy depicting the calamitous escapades of two men who stow away on a cruise ship. Did you know? When it was first used in English, "escapade" referred to an act of escaping or fleeing from confinement or restraint. The relationship between "escape" and "escapade" does not end there. Both words derive from the Vulgar Latin verb "excappare," meaning "to escape," a product of the Latin prefix "ex-" and the Late Latin noun "cappa," meaning "head covering or cloak." While "escape" took its route through Anglo-French and Middle English, however, "escapade" made its way into English by way of the Spanish "escapar" ("to escape") and the French "escapade." 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, 2007 is: attenuate • \uh-TEN-yuh-wayt\ • verb 1 : to make thin or slender 2 : to lessen the amount, force, magnitude, or value of : weaken 3 : to reduce the severity, virulence, or vitality of Examples: The use of computers, with their quiet keyboards, has greatly attenuated the noise level of the office, but Dee misses the sound of clacking typewriters. Did you know? "Attenuate" ultimately comes from a combination of the Latin prefix "ad-," meaning "to" or "toward," and "tenuis," meaning "thin." It has been on the medical scene since the 16th century, when a health treatise recommended eating dried figs to attenuate bodily fluids. That treatment might be outmoded nowadays, but "attenuate" is still used in medicine to refer to procedures that weaken a pathogen or reduce the severity of a disease. Most often, though, "attenuate" implies that something has been reduced or weakened by physical or chemical means. You can attenuate wire by drawing it through successively smaller holes, or attenuate gold by hammering it into thin sheets. You can even attenuate the momentum of a play by including too many costume changes. *Indicates the sense 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 December 1, 2007 is: nuance • \NOO-ahnss\ • noun 1 : a subtle distinction or variation 2 : a subtle quality : nicety 3 : sensibility to, awareness of, or ability to express delicate shadings (as of meaning, feeling, or value) Examples: Because she wanted to set her novel in New England, the author spent three months in New Hampshire learning the nuances of the local dialect. Did you know? The history of "nuance" starts in Latin with the noun "nubes," meaning "cloud." "Nubes" floated into Middle French as "nue," also meaning "cloud," and "nue" gave rise to "nuer," meaning "to make shades of color." "Nuer" in turn produced "nuance," which in Middle French meant "shade of color." English borrowed "nuance" from French, with the meaning "a subtle distinction or variation," in the late 18th century. That use persists today. Additionally, "nuance" is sometimes used in a specific musical sense, designating a subtle, expressive variation in a musical performance (such as in tempo, dynamic intensity, or timbre) that is not indicated in the score. *Indicates the sense 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 November 30, 2007 is: snowbird • \SNOH-berd\ • noun 1 : any of several birds (as a junco or fieldfare) seen chiefly in winter 2 : one who travels to warm climes for the winter Examples: Now that they are retired, the Crawfords have become snowbirds, closing up their New England home each winter and heading south. Did you know? "Snowbird" has been in use since the late 1600s, but it has only been applied to humans since the early 1900s. It was first used to describe men who enlisted in the armed forces to get food and clothing during the winter months and then deserted as the warm spring weather approached. Not long after, the term was applied to the northern laborers who would flock down south to work as the cold, harsh winter set in up north. Today, northerners of all kinds, from vacationers to retirees, can be seen migrating as soon as the first frost arrives. *Indicates the sense 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 November 29, 2007 is: favonian • \fuh-VOH-nee-un\ • adjective : of or relating to the west wind : mild Examples: A favonian wind blew across the plains, a welcome sign of spring's imminent arrival. Did you know? In "Ode to the West Wind," poet Percy Bysshe Shelley called the "wild West Wind" the "breath of Autumn's being." But according to Greco-Roman tradition, the west wind was warm and usually gentle. Its Latin name, "Favonius," is the basis for the English adjective "favonian" and derives from roots that are akin to the Latin "fovēre," meaning "to warm." "Zephyros," a Greek name for the west wind, is the ultimate source of "zephyr," meaning "a gentle breeze." In Greco-Roman tradition, it was the north wind, Boreas (aka Aquilo), who was the rude and blustery type. 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, 2007 is: adversity • \ad-VER-suh-tee\ • noun : a state, condition, or instance of serious or continued difficulty or adverse fortune Examples: The movie is about a group of determined mountain climbers who triumph in the face of adversity. Did you know? "Adversity," "mischance," "misfortune," and "mishap" all suggest difficulty of one sort or another. "Adversity" particularly applies to a state of grave or persistent misfortune (as in "a childhood marked by great adversity"). "Mishap" suggests an often trivial instance of bad luck (as in "the usual mishaps of a family vacation"). "Misfortune" is the most common and the most general of the terms, often functioning as a simple synonym of "bad luck" (as in "They had the misfortune to get a flat tire on the way to their wedding"). "Mischance" applies especially to a situation involving no more than slight inconvenience or minor annoyance (as in "Some small mischance befell 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 November 27, 2007 is: clairvoyant • \klair-VOI-unt\ • adjective 1 : having the ability to see beyond the range of ordinary perception 2 : of or relating to the power or faculty of discerning objects not present to the senses Examples: Minna has such an uncanny ability to predict which books will be bestsellers, I'd swear she's clairvoyant. Did you know? In French, "clairvoyant" literally means "clear-seeing," mentally or optically. The term made a brief appearance in English in the 17th century, as an adjective suggesting a keen sense of perception, but it did not become firmly established in the language until the 19th century. Today we most often apply this adjective to someone who essentially has ESP, an unexplainable ability to know or perceive things that others cannot. (We also now use "clairvoyant" as a noun for a person who has this ability.) But although "clairvoyant" is nearly always used in the ESP sense these days, the allusion to special powers frequently isn't dead serious. ("Are you clairvoyant? How did you know I was going to wear my flamingo shirt?") *Indicates the sense 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 November 26, 2007 is: lares and penates • \LAIR-eez-end-puh-NAY-teez\ • noun 1 : household gods 2 : personal or household effects Examples: "Well, Mr. F., his wife, children, mother and stepdaddy, along with his lares and penates, moved out of here forever on a pick-up last Tuesday." (Flannery O'Connor, Letter, June 1, 1957) Did you know? The phrase "lares and penates" is at home in the elevated writings of scholars. A classicist could tell you that Lares and Penates were Roman gods once worshipped as guardians of the household, and an avid Walpolian might be able to tell you that his or her favorite author (Horace Walpole) is credited with first domesticating the phrase to refer to a person's possessions. In the centuries since Walpole used "lares and penates" in a 1775 letter to the English poet William Mason, the phrase has become solidly established in the English language, and it continues to be used by authors and journalists today. *Indicates the sense 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 November 25, 2007 is: anent • \uh-NENT\ • preposition : about, concerning Examples: "Anent the article about the recent political scandal: we've heard enough already!" began Jamil's letter to the editor. Did you know? "Anent" looks like a rather old-fashioned word. It is, in fact, very old (an earlier sense of the word can be found in Beowulf, from approximately 800 A.D.), and at one point it was almost obsolete. It had nearly died out by the 17th century, but it was revived in the 19th century. Various usage commentators have decried "anent" as "affected" and "archaic." It is not archaic, however. Although "anent" is rarely found in speech, plenty of examples of current use can be found in written sources. Dead words do occasionally rise from the grave, and "anent" is one of them. 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, 2007 is: minatory • \MIN-uh-tor-ee\ • adjective : having a menacing quality : threatening Examples: Jordan wanted to tell the teacher who had written the note, but the class bully's minatory glare convinced her it would be safer to keep quiet. Did you know? Knowing that "minatory" means "threatening," can you take a guess at a related word? If you're familiar with mythology, perhaps you guessed "Minotaur," the name of the bull-headed, people-eating monster of Crete. "Minotaur" is a good guess, but as terrifying as the monster sounds, its name isn't related to today's word. The relative we're searching for is actually "menace." "Minatory" and "menace" both come from derivatives of the Latin verb "minari," which means "to threaten." "Minatory" was borrowed directly from Late Latin "minatorius." "Menace" came to English via Anglo-French "manace, menace," which came from Latin "minac-, minax," meaning "threatening." 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 23, 2007 is: cotton • \KAH-tun\ • verb 1 : to take a liking -- used with to 2 : to come to understand -- used with to or on to Examples: It took fans a while to cotton to the changes in the championship series, but they now love the new play-off format. Did you know? The noun "cotton" first appeared in English around 700 years ago. It comes, via Anglo-French and Old Italian, from the Arabic word for cotton, "qutun" or "qutn." In the 15th century, "cotton" acquired a verb use meaning "to form a nap on (cloth)." Though this verb sense is now obsolete, our modern-day use might have spun from it. In 1822, English philologist Robert Nares reported that "cotton" had been used to mean "to succeed" and speculated that this use came from "the finishing of cloth, which when it cottons, or rises to a regular nap, is nearly or quite complete." The meaning of "cotton" shifted from "to get on well" to "to get on well together," and eventually to the sense we know today, "to take to." The "understand" sense appeared later, in the early 20th century. *Indicates the sense 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 November 22, 2007 is: victual • \VIT-ul\ • noun 1 : food usable by people 2 : supplies of food : provisions Examples: The small grocery on the corner sells meat, bread, fruit, and other victuals at prices that rival those of the big supermarkets. Did you know? If you're hungry for the story behind "victual," get ready to dig into a rich and fulfilling history. The word derives via Middle English and Anglo-French from the Latin noun "victus," meaning "nourishment" or "way of living." "Victus" derives from the verb "vivere," which means "to live" and which is the source of a whole smorgasbord of other English words like "vital," "vivid," and "survive." It's also the root of "viand," another English word referring to food. There's also "vittles," a word that sounds like it might be an alteration of the plural "victuals" but which actually entered English a century before "victual." *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 November 21, 2007 is: mulct • \MULKT\ • verb 1 : to punish by a fine 2 a : to defraud especially of money : swindle b : to obtain by fraud, duress, or theft Examples: Francis was finally barred from the securities industry when it was discovered he'd been mulcting investors for years. Did you know? A fine assessed as a penalty for an infraction is generally considered justifiable. Fraud, on the other hand, is wrong -- it's just the sort of thing that deserves a fine. So in "mulct" we have a unique word, one that means both "to fine" and "to defraud." The "fine" sense came first. "Mulct" was borrowed from the Latin word for a fine, which is "multa" or "mulcta." The "fine" sense is still in use, mostly in legal contexts ("the court mulcted the defendant for punitive damages"), but these days "mulct" is more often used for an illegal act. It has been speculated that the use may have come about by association with the verb "milk," in its sense "to exploit, to coerce profit from" (as in "she was milked by the lawyers for everything she had"), but that speculation has never been proven. *Indicates the sense 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 November 20, 2007 is: skulduggery • \skull-DUG-uh-ree\ • noun : underhanded or unscrupulous behavior; also : a devious device or trick Examples: The investigation uncovered that the company had falsified their records, along with other sorts of financial skulduggery. Did you know? "Skulduggery," which can also be spelled "skullduggery," was first documented in the mid-19th century spelled as "scull-duggery." Etymologists aren't sure exactly how the word arrived in English, but they do not believe it has anything to do with skulls. It is possibly derived from the now-very-rare "sculduddery," a term once used to refer to gross or lewd conduct, but unfortunately the origins of that word are also unknown. 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 19, 2007 is: besmirch • \bih-SMERCH\ • verb : sully, soil Examples: In order to besmirch the reputation of his opponent, Clay made sure to bring up the subject of the senator's tax troubles during their first debate. Did you know? Since the prefix "be-" in "besmirch" means "to make or cause to be," when you besmirch something, you cause it to have a smirch. What's a smirch? A smirch is a stain, and "to smirch" is to stain or make dirty. By extension, "to smirch" came to mean "to bring discredit or disgrace on." "Smirch" and "besmirch," then, mean essentially the same thing. We have William Shakespeare to thank for the variation in form. Shakespeare's 1599 use of the term in Henry V is the first known appearance of "besmirch" in 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 November 18, 2007 is: lenitive • \LEN-uh-tiv\ • adjective : alleviating pain or harshness : soothing Examples: Ryan's mother insisted that a steaming cup of herbal tea would have a lenitive effect on his stomachache. Did you know? "Lenitive" first appeared in English in the 15th century. It derived from the Latin verb "lenire" ("to soften or soothe"), which was itself formed from the adjective "lenis," meaning "soft" or "mild." "Lenire" also gave us the adjective "lenient," which usually means "tolerant" or "indulgent" today but in its original sense carried the meaning of "relieving pain or stress." Often found in medical contexts, "lenitive" can also be a noun referring to a treatment (such as a salve) with soothing or healing properties. 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 17, 2007 is: ashram • \AHSH-rum\ • noun 1 : a secluded dwelling of a Hindu sage; also : the group of disciples instructed there 2 : a religious retreat Examples: Susan took a semester off from school in order to practice meditation and yoga at an ashram. Did you know? "Ashram" first appeared in English in the early 1900s and gained traction after Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi founded his famous ashrams at Sabarmati near Ahmadabad and at Sevagram near Wardha. The word "ashram" derives from a Sanskrit word, "srama," which means "religious exertion." Later in the 20th century, English speakers broadened the term "ashram" to encompass any sort of religious retreat, regardless of denomination. In addition to practicing yoga and mediation, Susan from our example sentence may also receive instruction from a religious teacher and do some type of manual or mental work during her stay at the ashram. *Indicates the sense 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 November 16, 2007 is: chuck-will's-widow • \chuck-willz-WID-oh\ • noun : a nightjar (Caprimulgus carolinensis) of the southeastern United States Examples: It was a cool, still night, and we could hear a chuck-will's-widow calling from over the hill. Did you know? The chuck-will's-widow is a nocturnal bird that can be found in the swamps, rocky uplands, and pine forests of southeastern United States and is often confused with its close relative, the whippoorwill. Like many of our other feathered friends, the chuck-will's-widow got its name through onomatopoeia: "chuck-will's-widow" imitates the sounds of the bird's call. Given that the bird will sometimes repeat its call up to 800 times without stopping, the imitative origin of its name is hardly surprising. 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 15, 2007 is: williwaw • \WILL-ih-waw\ • noun 1 a : a sudden violent gust of cold land air common along mountainous coasts of high latitudes b : a sudden violent wind 2 : a violent commotion Examples: The sailors had all heard stories of ships capsized by the williwaws that plagued the strait. Did you know? In 1900, Captain Joshua Slocum described williwaws as "compressed gales of wind . . . that Boreas handed down over the hills in chunks." To unsuspecting sailors or pilots, such winds might seem to come out of nowhere -- just like word "williwaw" did some 150 years ago. All anyone knows about the origin of the word is that it was first used by writers in the mid-1800s to name fierce winds in the Strait of Magellan at the southern tip of South America. The writers were British, and indications are that they may have learned the word from British sailors and seal hunters. Where they got the word, we cannot say. *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 November 14, 2007 is: denegation • \den-ih-GAY-shun\ • noun : denial Examples: "The defendant's actions," the lawyer argued, "led to the denegation of my client's rights as a citizen." Did you know? Even if we didn't provide you with a definition, you might guess the meaning of "denegation" from the "negation" part. Both words are ultimately derived from the Latin verb "negare," meaning "to deny" or "to say no," and both first arrived in English in the 15th century. "Negare" is also the source of our "abnegation" ("self-denial"), "negate" ("to deny the truth of"), and "renegade" (which originally referred to someone who leaves, and therefore denies, a religious faith). Even "deny" and "denial" are "negare" descendants. Like "denegation," they came to us from "negare" by way of the Latin "denegare," which also means "to deny." 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 13, 2007 is: transpicuous • \tran-SPIK-yuh-wus\ • adjective : clearly seen through or understood Examples: Although the reporter claimed to be merely curious, her motives were quite transpicuous; it was clear that she was hunting a story. Did you know? "Transpicuous" is derived from the Latin word "transpicere," meaning "to look through." "Transpicere," in turn, is a formation that combines "trans-," meaning "through," and "specere," a verb meaning "to look" or "to see." If you guessed that "transpicuous" is related to "conspicuous," you're correct. It's also possible to see a number of other "specere" descendants in English, including "aspect," "circumspect," "expect," "inspect," "perspective," and "suspect." Another descendant of "specere," and a close synonym of "transpicuous," is "perspicuous," which means "clear and easy to understand," as in "a perspicuous argument." ("Per-," like "trans-," means "through.") There's also "perspicacious," meaning "keen and observant." (You might say that "perspicuous" and "transpicuous" mean "able to be seen through," whereas "perspicacious" means "able to see through.") 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 12, 2007 is: war story • \WOR-STOR-ee\ • noun : a story of a memorable personal experience typically involving an element of danger, hardship, or adventure Examples: The two truckers swapped war stories about driving semitrailers over icy mountain passes and through congested cities. Did you know? People have been telling stories about real wars since long before Washington Irving wrote the following in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: "folks . . . sat smoking at one end of the piazza, . . . drawing out long stories about the war." But today tellers of "war stories" need not have experienced a literal battlefield. Around the middle of the 19th century, "war story" took on a more figurative meaning, and nowadays such accounts can encompass challenges in the workplace, on the campaign trail, in sports, in one's travels . . . wherever difficulties need to be overcome. 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 11, 2007 is: commove • \kuh-MOOV\ • verb 1 : to move violently : agitate 2 : to rouse intense feeling in : excite to passion Examples: "He who has seen the sea commoved with a great hurricane, thinks of it very differently from him who has seen it only in a calm." (R.L. Stevenson, The Silverado Squatters) Did you know? Eighteenth-century English lexicographer Samuel Johnson declared "commove" as being "not in use," but the word had not really disappeared from the language; it was simply, at that time, popular primarily with Scottish writers. The 14th-century poet Geoffrey Chaucer is credited with the first use of "commove," and many writers since have used the word, including Sir Walter Scott and George Eliot. Though not so common today, "commove" does occasionally pop up (to the chagrin of Johnsonians). "Market values tend to commove over time," read one such recent example, which appeared in the February 2007 issue of The Journal of Banking and Finance. *Indicates the sense 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 November 10, 2007 is: peripeteia • \pair-uh-puh-TEE-uh\ • noun : a sudden or unexpected reversal of circumstances or situation especially in a literary work Examples: In the last act of the play, the king's decision to avenge his brother leads to a peripeteia that leaves him bereft of his throne and his family. Did you know? "Peripeteia" comes from Greek, in which the verb "peripiptein" means "to fall around" or "to change suddenly." It usually indicates a turning point in a drama after which the plot moves steadily to its denouement. In his Poetics, Aristotle describes peripeteia as the shift of the tragic protagonist's fortune from good to bad--a shift that is essential to the plot of a tragedy. The term is also occasionally used of a similar change in actual affairs. For example, in a June 7, 2006 article in The New York Times, Michael Cooper described William Weld's second term as Massachusetts' governor as "political peripeteia": it "began with a landslide victory and ended with frustrated hopes and his resignation." 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 9, 2007 is: octothorpe • \AHK-tuh-thorp\ • noun : the symbol # Examples: Barry noticed the pound sign on the telephone and remarked about how much the octothorpe resembled a tic-tac-toe grid. Did you know? Stories abound about who first called the # sign an "octothorpe" (which can also be spelled "octothorp"). Most of those tales link the name to various telephone workers in the 1960s, and all claim the "octo-" part refers to the eight points on the symbol, but the "thorpe" remains a mystery. One story links it to a telephone company employee who happened to burp while talking about the symbol with co-workers. Another relates it to the athlete Jim Thorpe, and a third claims it derives from an Old English word for "village." If the plethora of theories leaves your head spinning, you might want to take the advice of the wag who asked (poetically), "Can we simply just say, / Ere it spoils your day, / It's the thorp between seven and nine?" 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 8, 2007 is: fungible • \FUN-juh-bul\ • adjective 1 : being of such a nature that one part or quantity may be replaced by another equal part or quantity in the satisfaction of an obligation 2 : interchangeable 3 : flexible Examples: Jessica believes her unique skill set makes her an indispensable member of the company rather than just one of many fungible employees. Did you know? "Fungible" -- which derives from the Latin verb "fungi," meaning "to perform" (no relation to the noun "fungus" and its plural "fungi") -- is a word that often shows up in legal contexts. Something fungible can be exchanged for something else of the same kind. For example, we could say "oil is a fungible commodity." That means that when a purchaser is expecting a delivery of oil, any oil of the stipulated quantity and quality will usually do. Another example of something fungible is cash. It doesn't matter what twenty dollar bill you get -- it's still worth the same amount as any other twenty dollar bill. In contrast, something like a painting isn't fungible; a purchaser would expect a specific, identifiable item to be delivered. In broader use, "fungible" can mean "interchangeable" or sometimes "changeable, fluid, or malleable." *Indicates the sense 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 November 7, 2007 is: mollify • \MAH-luh-fye\ • verb 1 : to soothe in temper or disposition : appease 2 : to reduce the rigidity of : soften 3 : to reduce in intensity : assuage, temper Examples: The clerk tried his best to mollify the irate customer. Did you know? "Mollify," "pacify," "appease," and "placate" all mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," although each implies a slightly different way of pouring oil on troubled waters. "Pacify" suggests the restoration of a calm or peaceful state, while "appease" implies the quieting of insistent demands by making concessions; you can appease appetites and desires as well as persons. "Placate" is similar to "appease," but it often indicates a more complete transformation of bitterness to goodwill. "Mollify," with its root in Latin "mollis," meaning "soft," implies soothing hurt feelings or anger. *Indicates the sense 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 November 6, 2007 is: Maecenas • \mih-SEE-nus\ • noun : a generous patron especially of literature or art Examples: Donations from Maecenases of Yiddish literature have greatly enriched the library's collection. Did you know? Although the ancient Roman Gaius Maecenas was a well-known diplomat and counselor to Emperor Augustus, it was his munificent patronage of literature that immortalized his name as a word for "a generous patron." A writer himself, Maecenas knew of the power of poetry and viewed it as a way to glorify Augustus's regime. Among the poets he patronized were the celebrated Virgil and Horace -- both of whom he befriended. Maecenas has also been credited with encouraging both writers to focus more on topics of public interest, such as affairs of state. 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 5, 2007 is: manqué • \mahng-KAY (the "ng" is not pronounced, but the preceding vowel i\ • adjective : short of or frustrated in the fulfillment of one's aspirations or talents -- used postpositively Examples: Clarke has a remarkable gift for drawing, but unless he applies himself, he'll always be an artist manqué. Did you know? The etymology of "manqué" is likely to vex left-handers. English speakers picked up "manqué" directly from French more than two centuries ago, and it ultimately comes from Latin "manco," meaning "having a crippled hand." But in between the Latin and French portions of this word's history came the Italian word "manco," which means both "lacking" and "left-handed." Lefties may be further displeased to learn that "manqué" isn't the only English word with a history that links left-handedness with something undesirable. For example, the word "awkward" comes from "awke," a Middle English word meaning both "turned the wrong way" and "left-handed." And the noun "gawk" ("a clumsy stupid person") probably comes from a "gawk" that means "left-handed" in English dialect. 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 4, 2007 is: fata morgana • \fah-tuh-mor-GAH-nuh\ • noun : mirage Examples: "After driving for days," wrote Marisol, "we finally caught sight of the Rocky Mountains, rising above the horizon like a fata morgana." Did you know? "Fata Morgana" is the Italian name for Morgan le Fay (meaning "Morgan the Fairy"), a sorceress of medieval legends. This sister of the legendary King Arthur is sometimes portrayed as the ruler of the island paradise Avalon and is said to have had a number of magical powers, with which she caused a great deal of trouble. Among her powers, say some versions of the legend, was the ability to change shape, and she has been blamed for causing complex mirages over bodies of water, especially in the Strait of Messina. Today we know that such optical illusions are really caused by atmospheric conditions, but we still sometimes use "fata morgana" as a synonym of "mirage." 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 3, 2007 is: guerdon • \GUR-dun\ • noun : reward, recompense Examples: "This early promotion . . . was his guerdon for a quarter of a century of getting things done." (Herman Wouk, The Winds of War) Did you know? "Guerdon" dates back to the 14th century, when Geoffrey Chaucer used it in The Romaunt of the Rose (ca. 1366): "He quitte him wel his guerdon there." It derives from Anglo-French and is thought to be related to the Old High German "widarlōn," meaning "reward." Shakespeare used "guerdon" a couple of times in his plays. In Love's Labour's Lost, for example, Berowne, attendant to King Ferdinand, sends the clown Costard to deliver a letter to Rosaline, attendant to the princess of France, handing him a shilling with the line, "There's thy guerdon; go." "Guerdon" is a rare word today, but contemporary writers do use it on occasion for poetic effect. 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 2, 2007 is: hare • \HAIR\ • verb : to go swiftly : tear Examples: "I found myself, at three a.m. on a dark November night, haring in a rented car through the Irish countryside . . . ." (Renata Adler, Pitch Dark) Did you know? No doubt you've heard the Aesop's fable about the speedy hare and the plodding tortoise. The hare may have lost that race due to a tactical error (stopping to take a nap before reaching the finish line), but the long-eared mammal's overall reputation for swiftness remains intact. It's no surprise, then, that "hare" is used as a verb meaning "to move quickly." The noun "hare" (which refers, in its most specific zoological sense, to a member of the genus Lepus whose young are usually able to hop a few minutes after birth) is a very old word. It first appeared as "hara" in a Latin-Old English glossary around the year 700. The verb was in use by 1719, and people have been "haring off" and "haring about" ever since. 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 1, 2007 is: gossamer • \GAH-suh-mer\ • adjective : extremely light, delicate, or tenuous Examples: The early morning mists formed gossamer trails through the valley, their frail beauty a stark contrast to the dark, forbidding forest that loomed behind them. Did you know? In the days of Middle English, a period of mild weather in late autumn or early winter was sometimes called a "gossomer," literally "goose summer." People may have chosen that name for a late-season warm spell because October and November were the months when people felt that geese were at their best for eating. "Gossomer" was also used in Middle English as a word for filmy cobwebs floating through the air in calm clear weather, apparently because somebody thought the webs looked like the down of a goose. This sense eventually inspired the adjective "gossamer," which means "light, delicate, or tenuous" -- just like cobwebs or goose down. 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 October 31, 2007 is: gargoyle • \GAR-goy-ul\ • noun 1 a : a spout in the form of a grotesque human or animal figure projecting from a roof gutter to throw rainwater clear of a building b : a grotesquely carved figure 2 : a person with an ugly face Examples: The monastery's gargoyles had supposedly been modeled on the faces of monks who had formerly resided there. Did you know? In the 12th century, St. Bernard of Clairvaux reportedly complained about the new sculptures in the cloisters where he lived. "Surely," he is quoted as saying, "if we do not blush for such absurdities we should at least regret what we have spent on them." St. Bernard was apparently provoked by the grotesque figures designed to drain rainwater from buildings. By the 13th century, those figures were being called "gargoyles," a name that came to Middle English from the Old French "gargoule." The stone beasts may have earned that name because of the water that gargled out of their throats and mouths. *Indicates the sense 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 October 30, 2007 is: reticulate • \rih-TIK-yuh-lut\ • adjective 1 : resembling a net or network; especially : having veins, fibers, or lines crossing 2 : being or involving evolutionary change dependent on genetic recombination involving diverse interbreeding populations Examples: The reticulate pattern of the veins should help you identify the plant by its leaves. Did you know? Though "reticulate" is used in many contexts, it finds particular use in the field of biology. "Reticulate" comes from the Latin word "reticulum," meaning "small net." It first appeared in English in the mid-1600s and was used in connection with the study of plants even back then. Scientists use "reticulate" to describe a net-like formation of veins, fibers, or lines that crosses something. For example, a leaf with a pattern of veins that resembles a net would be called a "reticulate leaf." *Indicates the sense 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 October 29, 2007 is: warison • \WAIR-uh-sun\ • noun : a bugle call to attack Examples: The soldiers stood alert at their posts, as per their commander's orders, listening for the warison that would instruct them to advance into enemy territory. Did you know? When Sir Walter Scott first encountered the word "warison" around the beginning of the 19th century, it was a rare word that had been around for six centuries, occasionally used to mean either "wealth or possessions" or "reward." In his 1805 poem The Lay of the Last Minstrel, Scott used the word to refer to a bugle call ordering soldiers to attack, probably because he misinterpreted what the word meant when he read it in "The Battle of Otterbourne," a ballad found in Thomas Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry. The original word (which Scott encountered as Middle English "waryson") derives from the Anglo-French "garisun," which means "healing, protection" and is also the source of the English word "garrison," meaning "a military post." 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 October 28, 2007 is: sanguineous • \san-GWIN-ee-us\ • adjective 1 : bloodred 2 : of, relating to, or involving bloodshed : bloodthirsty 3 : of, relating to, or containing blood Examples: The horror movie is a sanguineous remake of an old classic. Did you know? "Sanguineous" isn't the only English adjective to come from "sanguis," the Latin word for "blood." "Sanguine," for one, has been with us since the 14th century. Nowadays, it usually means "confident" or "optimistic," but it can also mean "ruddy." (The "optimistic" sense stems from the medieval belief that a healthy red complexion denoted a courageous and hopeful temperament.) "Sanguineous" first appeared in the 16th century as a synonym of the "ruddy" sense of "sanguine," but now it's more often used in medical or scientific references to blood. It shares another sense -- "bloodthirsty" or "involving bloodshed" -- with "sanguinary," yet another "sanguis" descendant." *Indicates the sense 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 October 27, 2007 is: neophyte • \NEE-uh-fyte\ • noun 1 : a new convert : proselyte 2 : novice 3 : tyro, beginner Examples: Anna, a skiing neophyte, stayed on the bunny slope while her friends went up the mountain. Did you know? "Neophyte" is hardly a new addition to the English language (it's been part of the English vocabulary since the 1300s), but it wasn't in general use before the 19th century. When it was used in a 16th-century translation of the Bible, some folks derided it as pretentious and Latinate. One critic lumped it with other "ridiculous inkhorn terms" and another went as far as to write, "Neophyte, to a bare Englishman is nothing at all." The criticisms of "neophyte" weren't entirely justified, given the word's long history in English, but it is true that "neophyte" has classical roots. It traces back through Late Latin to the Greek "neophytes," meaning "newly planted" or "newly converted." *Indicates the sense 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 October 26, 2007 is: imbricate • \IM-brih-kut\ • adjective : lying lapped over each other in regular order Examples: The antique mirror had tiny imbricate gold squares around its edge. Did you know? The ancient Romans knew how to keep the interior of their villas dry when it rained. They covered their roofs with overlapping curved tiles so the "imber" (Latin for "pelting rain" or "rain shower") couldn't seep in. The tiles were, in effect, "rain tiles," so the Romans called them "imbrices" (singular "imbrex"). The verb for installing the tiles was "imbricare," and English speakers used its past participle -- "imbricatus" -- to create "imbricate," which was first used as adjective meaning "overlapping (like roof tiles)" and later became a verb meaning "to overlap." 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 October 25, 2007 is: vaudeville • \VAUD-vil\ • noun 1 : a light often comic theatrical piece frequently combining pantomime, dialogue, dancing, and song 2 : stage entertainment consisting of various acts (as performing animals, acrobats, comedians, dancers, or singers) Examples: Andrew's interest in vaudeville can be traced to his grandparents, who met as performers in the 1920s. Did you know? In the 15th century, several amusing songs became popular across France. These songs were said to have been written by a man named Olivier Basselin who lived in the valley of the river Vire in northwest France. The songs eventually became known as "chansons de vau-de-Vire," meaning "songs of the valley of Vire." Other people began writing and performing similar songs, and as this form of entertainment became more widespread, the link to vau-de-Vire was forgotten. The nickname was shortened to one word, "vaudevire." As the phenomenon spread beyond France, further changes in pronunciation and spelling shifted "vaudevire" into "vaudeville." The meaning also broadened to include humorous performances and variety shows. *Indicates the sense 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 October 24, 2007 is: jerkwater • \JERK-waw-ter\ • adjective 1 : remote and unimportant 2 : trivial Examples: "We're stranded in some jerkwater town in the middle of nowhere," said Larry when he called to tell us that the car's engine had blown. Did you know? We owe the colorful Americanism "jerkwater" to the invention of the steam engine -- an advancement that significantly accelerated travel by rail but also had its drawbacks. One drawback was that the boilers of the early locomotives needed to be refilled with water frequently, and water tanks were few and far between. As a result, the small trains that ran on rural branch lines often had to stop to take on water from local supplies. Such trains were commonly called "jerkwaters" from the motion of jerking the water up in buckets from the supply to the engine. The derogatory use of "jerkwater" for things unimportant or trivial reflects the fact that these jerkwater trains typically ran on lines connecting small middle-of-nowhere towns. *Indicates the sense 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 October 23, 2007 is: argentiferous • \ar-jun-TIFF-uh-rus\ • adjective : containing silver Examples: The mineral galena, which is common in the Mississippi River Valley, is often argentiferous and so is sometimes mined for silver as well as for lead. Did you know? If you learned basic chemistry, you might recall that the symbol for silver, "Ag," reflects the Latin name for the element, "argentum." That Latin term puts the luster in "argentiferous" and is also an ancestor of "argent," a word that was once used to refer to the metal silver and now means "the heraldic color silver or white." The country of Argentina owes its name to "argentum," 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 October 22, 2007 is: denigrate • \DEN-ih-grayt\ • verb 1 : to attack the reputation of : defame 2 : to deny the importance or validity of : belittle Examples: Although some medical experts denigrate the new technology, others believe that the experimental results have been quite promising. Did you know? If you "denigrate" someone, you attempt to blacken their reputation. It makes sense, therefore, that "denigrate" can be traced back to the Latin verb "denigrare," meaning "to blacken." When "denigrate" was first used in English in the 16th century, it meant to cast aspersions on someone's character or reputation. Eventually, it developed a second sense of "to make black" ("factory smoke denigrated the sky"), but this sense is somewhat rare in modern usage. Nowadays, of course, "denigrate" can also refer to belittling the worth or importance of someone or something. *Indicates the sense 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 October 21, 2007 is: hat trick • \HAT-TRICK\ • noun 1 : the retiring of three batsmen with three consecutive balls by a bowler in cricket 2 : the scoring of three goals in one game (as of hockey or soccer) by a single player 3 : a series of three victories, successes, or related accomplishments Examples: The author scored a publishing hat trick, writing three best sellers in a row. Did you know? It may surprise some people to learn that the term "hat trick" as it relates to sports actually originated in British cricket. A bowler who retired three batsmen with three consecutive balls was entitled to a new hat at the expense of the club to commemorate this feat. Eventually, the phrase was applied to a single player scoring three goals in any goal sport and later to three victories or successes in sports as different as horse racing and golf. The phrase finally broadened to include a string of three important successes or achievements in any field. *Indicates the sense 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 October 20, 2007 is: nonchalant • \nahn-shuh-LAHNT\ • adjective : having an air of easy unconcern or indifference Examples: Colette was amazed that Ryan could remain so nonchalant after being informed that he had won the scholarship. Did you know? Since "nonchalant" comes ultimately from Latin words meaning "not" and "be warm," it's no surprise that the word is all about keeping one's cool. The French word "nonchalant," which we borrowed around 1734, has essentially the same meaning as our English word and was derived in Old French from a verb, "nonchaloir," which meant "to disregard." "Nonchaloir" in turn combines the negative "non-" with "chaloir," which means "to concern" and comes from the Latin "calēre" ("to be warm"). "Unconcerned" is one synonym of "nonchalant," along with "casual," "complacent," and "insouciant." 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 October 19, 2007 is: pasquinade • \pass-kwuh-NAYD\ • noun 1 : a lampoon posted in a public place 2 : satirical writing : satire Examples: The article, a pasquinade mocking the proposed education reform, generated a lot of mail from readers. Did you know? In 1501, a marble statue from ancient times was unearthed in Rome and erected near that city's Piazza Navona. The statue depicted a male torso and was christened "Pasquino" by the Romans, perhaps after a local shopkeeper. It became a tradition to dress up the statue on St. Mark's Day, and in its honor, professors and students would write Latin verses that they would then post on it. Satires soon replaced these verses, and the Pasquino statue became a prime location for posting anonymous, bitingly critical lampoons. In the mid-17th century, these postings became known in English as "pasquinades" (from the Italian "pasquinata"). The term has since expanded in usage to refer to any kind of satirical writing. *Indicates the sense 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 October 18, 2007 is: aghast • \uh-GAST\ • adjective : struck with terror, amazement, or horror : shocked Examples: In an effort to impress his date, Adam ordered the most expensive items on the menu, then was aghast when the bill arrived. Did you know? If you are aghast, you might look like you've just seen a ghost, or something similarly shocking. "Aghast" traces back to a Middle English verb, "gasten," meaning "to frighten." "Gasten" (which also gave us "ghastly," meaning "terrible or frightening") comes from "gast," a Middle English spelling of the word "ghost." "Gast" also came to be used in English as a verb meaning "to scare." That verb is now obsolete, but its spirit lives on in words spoken by the character Edmund in Shakespeare's King Lear: "gasted by the noise I made, full suddenly he fled." 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 October 17, 2007 is: enmity • \EN-muh-tee\ • noun : positive, active, and typically mutual hatred or ill will Examples: Having to work on the project together only increased the enmity between Ralph and Debra, who had never gotten along. Did you know? "Enmity" and its synonyms "hostility," "animosity," and "animus" all indicate deep-seated dislike or ill will. "Enmity" (which derives from an Anglo-French word meaning "enemy") suggests true hatred, either overt or concealed. "Hostility" implies strong, open enmity that shows itself in attacks or aggression. "Animosity" carries the sense of anger, vindictiveness, and sometimes the desire to destroy what one hates. "Animus" is generally less violent than "animosity," but definitely conveys active prejudice or ill will. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.