Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 20, 2007 is: somnolent • \SAHM-nuh-lunt\ • adjective 1 : of a kind likely to induce sleep 2 a : inclined to or heavy with sleep : drowsy b : sleepy Examples: "I am no whit somnolent; I always hear best with my eyes shut." (Sir Walter Scott, The Legend of Montrose) Did you know? "Somnolent" first appeared in late 15th century in the redundant phrase "somnolent sleep." It came into English by way of Anglo-French from the Latin word "somnolentus," which itself comes from "somnus," meaning "sleep." Another offspring of "somnus" is "somnambulism," a synonym of "sleepwalking." "Insomnia" is also a member of this sleepy word family, though it might be considered the black sheep, since it means, of course, "the inability to sleep." *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 May 19, 2007 is: henotheism • \HEN-uh-thee-iz-um\ • noun : the worship of one god without denying the existence of other gods Examples: During certain periods of Egyptian history, the pharaohs and their subjects practiced henotheism. Did you know? "Henotheism" comes to us from the German word "Henotheismus," which in turn is derived from Greek "hen-" ("one") and "theos" ("god"). Someone who engages in henotheism worships one god but does not deny that there are others. Max Müller, a respected 19th-century scholar, is credited with promoting the word "henotheism" as a counterpart to "polytheism" ("belief in or worship of more than one god") and "monotheism" ("the doctrine or belief that there is but one God"). Müller also used the related word "kathenotheism," from Greek "kath' hena" ("one at a time"), for the worship of several gods successively. 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 18, 2007 is: jackanapes • \JAK-uh-nayps\ • noun 1 : monkey, ape 2 a : an impudent or conceited fellow b : a saucy or mischievous child Examples: Mr. Hughes had his neighbor's son pegged as a disrespectful jackanapes and was therefore reluctant to hire him to shovel the driveway. Did you know? William de la Pole, the Duke of Suffolk, was a well-regarded soldier and commander during the Hundred Years' War. It was during his dukedom (1448-1450), however, that England lost its possessions in northern France, and his popularity consequently suffered. The coat of arms for de la Pole's family sported an image of a collar and chain that, at the time, was commonly used for leashing pet monkeys, then known as "jackanapes" (a word whose precise origin is uncertain). By association, people gave the Duke the nickname "Jack Napis," and soon "jackanapes" took on a life of its own as a word for an impudent person and, later, a misbehaving child. *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 May 17, 2007 is: fulminate • \FULL-muh-nayt\ • verb : to send forth censures or invectives Examples: Jennie wrote an editorial for her town's local paper fulminating on the topic of dress codes in the public schools. Did you know? Lightning strikes more than once in the history of "fulminate." That word comes from the Latin "fulminare," meaning "to strike," a verb usually used to refer to lightning strikes -- not surprising since it sprang from "fulmen," Latin for "lightning." When "fulminate" was adopted into English in the 15th century, it lost much of its ancestral thunder and was used largely as a technical term for the issuing of formal denunciations by ecclesiastical authorities. But its original lightning spark remains in its suggestion of tirades so vigorous that, as one 18th-century bishop put it, they seem to be delivered "with the air of one who [has] divine Vengeance at his disposal." 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 16, 2007 is: corybantic • \kor-ee-BAN-tik\ • adjective : like or in the spirit of a Corybant; especially : wild, frenzied Examples: From the sound of the first guitar chord, the mosh pit looked like a swarm of bees in a corybantic dance. Did you know? The big name in goddesses in Phrygia (Asia Minor) in the fifth century B.C. was Cybele (also called Cybebe or Agdistis), the "Great Mother of the Gods." According to Oriental and Greco-Roman mythology, she was the mother of it all: gods, humans, animals . . . even nature itself. The Corybants were Cybele's attendants and priests, and they worshipped her with an unrestrained frenzy of wildly emotional processions, rites, and dances. "Corybantic," the adjective based on the name of Cybele's attendants, can be used to describe anything characterized by a similarly unrestrained abandon. 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 15, 2007 is: rendition • \ren-DISH-un\ • noun 1 : surrender 2 : translation 3 : performance, interpretation Examples: Early in her career, the singer starred in a stunning rendition of Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde. Did you know? "Rendition" entered English in the early 17th century and can be traced to the Middle French word "reddition" and ultimately to the Latin verb "reddere," meaning "to return." The English verb "render" is another descendant of "reddere," so perhaps it is no surprise that "rendition" fundamentally means "the act or result of rendering." English speakers also once adopted "reddition" itself (meaning either "restitution, surrender" or "elucidation"), but that word has mostly dropped out of use. Incidentally, if you've guessed that "surrender" is also from the same word family, you may be right; "surrender" derives in part from the Anglo-French "rendre," which likely influenced the alteration of "reddition" to "rendition." *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 May 14, 2007 is: inkhorn • \INK-horn\ • adjective : ostentatiously learned : pedantic Examples: The professor peppered his lectures with inkhorn terms of pseudo-Latin and Greek, a practice he felt essential to instilling in his students the proper respect for his knowledge. Did you know? Picture an ancient scribe, pen in hand, a small ink bottle made from an animal's horn strapped to his belt, ready to record the great events of history. In 14th-century England, such ink bottles were dubbed (not surprisingly) "inkhorns." During the Renaissance, learned writers often borrowed words from Latin and Greek, eschewing vulgar English alternatives. But in the 16th century, some scholars argued for the use of native terms over Latinate forms, and a lively intellectual debate over the merits of each began. Those who favored English branded what they considered ostentatious Latinisms "inkhorn terms" after the bottles carried by scholars, and since then we have used "inkhorn" as an adjective for pretentious language. 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 13, 2007 is: infix • \IN-fiks\ • noun : a derivational or inflectional affix appearing in the body of a word Examples: "In addition to suffixes and prefixes, the language [Inuktitut] has infixes, denoting tense or gender. . .." (Stephanie Nolen Iqaluit, The Independent, July 29, 2000) Did you know? Like prefixes and suffixes, infixes are part of the general class of affixes ("sounds or letters attached to or inserted within a word to produce a derivative word or an inflectional form"). Infixes are relatively rare in English, but you can find them in the plural forms of some words. For example, "cupful," "spoonful," and "passerby" can be pluralized as "cupsful," "spoonsful," and "passersby," using "s" as an infix. Another example is the insertion of an (often offensive) intensifier into a word, as in "fan-freakin'-tastic." Such whole-word insertions are sometimes called "infixes," though this phenomenon is more traditionally known as "tmesis." 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 12, 2007 is: delve • \DELV\ • verb 1 : to dig or labor with or as if with a spade 2 : to make a careful or detailed search for information Examples: There might be a deeper reason why Bruce decided to quit his job, but I don't think we should delve into it. Did you know? We must dig deep into the English language's past to find the origins of "delve." The verb originated in 9th century Old English as "delfan" and is related to the Old High German word "telban," meaning "dig." For some 400 years, there was only delving -- no digging -- because "dig" didn't exist until the 13th century. Is the phrase "dig and delve" (as in the line "eleven, twelve, dig and delve," from the nursery rhyme that begins "one, two, buckle my shoe") redundant? Not necessarily. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, in some local uses as recently as the late 19th century, "dig" was the term for working with a mattock (a tool similar to an adze or a pick), while "delve" was reserved for using a spade. *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 May 11, 2007 is: roustabout • \ROWSS-tuh-bowt\ • noun 1 a : deckhand b : longshoreman 2 : an unskilled or semiskilled laborer especially in an oil field or refinery 3 : a circus worker who erects and dismantles tents, cares for the grounds, and handles animals and equipment Examples: The arrival of the circus was marked by the shouts of roustabouts hauling canvas and erecting huge tent poles. Did you know? Circus roustabouts are most commonly associated with circus animals, of course, but they also have a connection with game birds, at least in terms of etymology. "Roustabout" comes from "roust," which is an alteration of "rouse," a verb from Middle English that originally meant "to shake the feathers" (as in the way a bird might ruffle its feathers or shake its plumage when it is settling down or grooming itself). "Rouse," which today is a synonym of "awaken," also formerly meant "to cause to break from cover," a sense that may have influenced the modern meaning of "roust": "to drive (as from bed) roughly or unceremoniously." *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 May 10, 2007 is: atrabilious • \at-ruh-BIL-yus\ • adjective 1 : given to or marked by melancholy : gloomy 2 : ill-natured, peevish Examples: Conscious of his landlord's atrabilious temperament, Daniel knew to wait until the moment was right before asking for an extension on the rent. Did you know? "Atrabilious" is a somewhat rare word with a history that parallels that of the more common "melancholy." Representing one of the four bodily humors, from which it was once believed that human emotions originated, "atrabilious" derives from the Latin "atra bilis," literally meaning "black bile." The word "melancholy" derives from the Greek "melan-" and "chole," which also translates as "black bile." In its original sense, "atrabilious" meant "melancholy," but now it is more frequently used to describe someone with an irritable or unfriendly temperament. A word with a meaning similar to that of "atrabilious" is "splenetic," which is named after the organ in the body (the spleen) once thought to secrete black bile. *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 May 9, 2007 is: prehensile • \pre-HEN-sil\ • adjective 1 : adapted for seizing or grasping especially by wrapping around 2 : gifted with mental grasp or moral or aesthetic perception Examples: Using his prehensile tail, the monkey was able to seize the pen right out of my hand! Did you know? You may be familiar with "prehensile" from the animal world: monkeys have prehensile tails, elephants have prehensile trunks, giraffes have prehensile tongues, etc. But can you comprehend where this word comes from? Can you apprehend its derivation? The Latin verb "prehendere," meaning "to seize or grasp," is the ancestor of a number of English terms, including "comprehend," "apprehend," and "prehensile." "Prehensile" came into English in the 1780s via French "préhensile," from Latin "prehensus," the past participle of "prehendere." *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 May 8, 2007 is: purloin • \per-LOYN\ • verb : to appropriate wrongfully and often by a breach of trust Examples: Carol discovered that Mike had purloined her idea for her essay and used it in his own paper. Did you know? "Purloin," "pilfer," and "filch" may just seem like fancy words for "steal," but each has a slightly different connotation. "Pilfer" implies stealing repeatedly in small amounts, as in this sentence: "It was months before her boss realized she was pilfering office supplies." "Filch" adds a suggestion of snatching quickly and surreptitiously (e.g., "He filched an apple from the tray"). "Purloin" stresses removing or carrying off something for one's own use or purposes ("She purloined the manuscript and tried to pass it off as her own work"). 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 7, 2007 is: sumptuous • \SUMP-shuh-wus\ • adjective : extremely costly, rich, luxurious, or magnificent Examples: "Austere on the outside, the Genoese palazzi's interiors are sumptuous and gilded, bursting with frescoes, mirrors, and tapestries...." (Gabriella de Ferrari, Travel & Leisure, September 1994) Did you know? The word "sumptuous" can be used to describe both lush surroundings and rich desserts, and it has an equally rich history. The word, which appeared in English in the 15th century, derives via Middle English from the Latin noun "sumptus," meaning "expense." "Sumptus" is related to the Latin verb "sumere," which means "take" or "spend" and from which we get a treasure trove of useful verbs: "consume" ("to use up or spend"), "subsume" ("to include or place in something larger"), "resume" ("to take up again"), and "assume" ("to take upon oneself"). Another "sumere" descendant is our adjective "sumptuary," which means "relating to one's extravagant expenditures." 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 6, 2007 is: sprachgefuhl • \SHPRAHKH-guh-fuel\ • noun : an intuitive sense of what is linguistically appropriate Examples: One review of the book praised the author's sprachgefuhl and her graceful, literary style. Did you know? "Sprachgefuhl" was borrowed into English from German at the end of the 19th century and combines two German nouns, "Sprache," meaning "language, speech," and "Gefühl," meaning "feeling." We're quite certain that the quality of sprachgefuhl is common among our readers, but the word itself is rare, making only occasional appearances in our language. *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 May 5, 2007 is: valedictory • \val-uh-DIK-tuh-ree\ • adjective : of or relating to a valediction : expressing or containing a farewell Examples: June used her valedictory address to emphasize the importance of volunteering and community service. Did you know? Valedictory addresses delivered by earnest young valedictorians at high school and college graduations are as much a sign of spring in the United States as baseball games and cookouts. Though we don't know where the first valedictory address was given, we do know that the word was an institution at some colleges in the U.S. by the mid-1700s. English speakers and writers have also used "valedictory" in non-academic settings since the mid-1600s. Since a valedictory speech is given at the end of an academic career, it is perfectly in keeping with the meaning of its Latin ancestor, "valedicere," which means "to say farewell." 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 4, 2007 is: pratfall • \PRAT-fawl\ • noun 1 : a fall on the buttocks 2 : a humiliating mishap or blunder Examples: It was amusing to watch the pratfalls of the slow-witted cartoon cat as he was continually outsmarted by the clever mouse. Did you know? The human posterior has been given a number of designations over the centuries, some not acceptable in polite company. "Prat," a slang term with only slightly indecorous overtones, has been used in reference to the backside since the 16th century. It wasn't until the 1930s, however, that falling on one's prat gave rise to the term "pratfall." The word first cropped up in the lingo of comedy theater, where a pratfall is often part of a slapstick routine. It wasn't long before we gave the word its extended sense of "blunder." Now, with "prat" rarely used as a synonym of "derriere" anymore, "pratfall" is as apt to suggest getting a pie in the face as landing bang on one's behind. *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 May 3, 2007 is: camarilla • \kam-uh-RILL-uh\ • noun : a group of unofficial often secret and scheming advisers; also : cabal Examples: A resistance group has sprung up and is plotting to overthrow the tyrant leader and his camarilla. Did you know? "Camarilla" is borrowed from Spanish and is the diminutive of "cámara," which traces to the Late Latin "camera" and means "room"; a "camarilla," then, is literally a "small room." Political cliques and plotters are likely to meet in small rooms (generally with the door closed) as they hatch their schemes, and, by 1834, "camarilla" was being used in English for such closed-door groups of scheming advisers. The word is relatively rare in formal English prose, but it still finds occasional use in news stories. Some other descendants of the Latin "camera" include "camera," "comrade," "camaraderie," and "bicameral." 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, 2007 is: brackish • \BRACK-ish\ • adjective 1 : somewhat salty 2 a : not appealing to the taste b : repulsive Examples: Water is often brackish and undrinkable at points where freshwater rivers flow into the sea. Did you know? When the word "brackish" first appeared in English in the 1500s, it simply meant "salty," as did its Dutch ancestor "brak." Then, as now, brackish water could simply be a mixture of saltwater and freshwater. Since that time, however, "brackish" has developed the additional meanings of "unpalatable" or "distasteful" -- presumably because of the undrinkable quality of saltwater. "The brackish water that we drink / Creeps with a loathsome slime, / And the bitter bread they weigh in scales / Is full of chalk and lime." As this use from Oscar Wilde's "Ballad of Reading Gaol" illustrates, brackish water can also include things other than salt that make it unpleasant to drink. *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 May 1, 2007 is: euphemism • \YOO-fuh-miz-um\ • noun : the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant; also : the expression so substituted Examples: Aunt Helen would never say that someone had "died"; she preferred to communicate the unpleasant news with euphemisms like "passed on." Did you know? "Euphemism" derives from the Greek word "euphēmos," which means "auspicious" or "sounding good." The first part of "euphēmos" is the Greek prefix "eu-," meaning "well." The second part is "phēmē," a Greek word for "speech" that is itself a derivative of the verb "phanai," meaning "to speak." Among the numerous linguistic cousins of "euphemism" on the "eu-" side of the family are "eulogy," "euphoria," and "euthanasia"; on the "phanai" side, its kin include "prophet" and "aphasia" ("loss of the power to understand words"). 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, 2007 is: usance • \YOO-zuns\ • noun 1 : firmly established and generally accepted practice or procedure : usage 2 : use, employment 3 : interest 4 : the time allowed by custom for payment of a bill of exchange in foreign commerce Examples: "Make an investment of any spare monies as may render some usance." (Lord Byron) Did you know? "Usance" was borrowed from Latin in the 14th century as a word meaning "habit" or "custom." In the late 16th century, its worth was compounded when it became a word for both the lending of money at interest and the interest charged. Both meanings were known to Shakespeare when he was writing The Merchant of Venice (1596). "He lends out money gratis, and brings down [t]he rate of usance here with us in Venice," says the usurer Shylock of the protagonist Antonio. And, later in the play, Shylock tells how Antonio has "rated . . . about [his] moneys and [his] usances." Unexplainably, the currency of these uses plummeted shortly after appearing in the play, only to be revived in the 19th 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 April 29, 2007 is: internecine • \in-ter-NESS-een\ • adjective 1 : marked by slaughter : deadly; especially : mutually destructive 2 : of, relating to, or involving conflict within a group Examples: When the three brothers took over the family business together, it didn't take long for the internecine feuding to begin. Did you know? "Internecine" comes from the Latin "internecinus" ("fought to the death" or "destructive"), which traces to the verb "necare" ("to kill") and the prefix "inter-." ("Inter-" usually means "between" or "mutual" in Latin, but it can also indicate the completion of an action.) "Internecine" meant "deadly" when it appeared in English in 1663, but when Samuel Johnson entered it in his dictionary almost a century later, he was apparently misled by "inter-" and defined the word as "endeavouring mutual destruction." Johnson's definition was carried into later dictionaries, and before long his sense was the dominant meaning of the word. "Internecine" developed the association with internal group conflict in the 20th century, and that's the most common sense 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 April 28, 2007 is: scrimshander • \SKRIM-shan-der\ • noun : a person who creates scrimshaw Examples: The museum's scrimshander hunched over a bit of bone, scraping it gently with a tiny needle, then brushed away the chips and held up the intricate design so we could see it. Did you know? Scrimshaw is a distinctly North American folk art, but no one knows just where it started or how it got its name. Native peoples of Alaska and Canada have carved ivory for centuries, but when "scrimshaw" is used in modern English, it is most often associated with 18th- and 19th-century whalers of the ilk Herman Melville described as "examining ... divers specimens of skrimshander" in Moby Dick (1851). As you can see from Melville's example, "scrimshander" was originally a synonym of "scrimshaw" (back then, the artists were most likely called "scrimshoners"). "Scrimshaw" and "scrimshander" may have originated with the surname of a sailor who was particularly skilled at the art, but if such an individual did exist, he is unknown 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 27, 2007 is: underwhelm • \un-der-WELM\ • verb : to fail to impress or stimulate Examples: The figure skater's lackluster performance underwhelmed the judges. Did you know? "Overwhelm" and its rare synonym "whelm" have both been around since the 14th century, but "underwhelm" first appeared in print in 1949. Both "overwhelm" and "whelm" are derived from the Middle English "whelmen," which is perhaps an alteration of "whelmen" ("to turn over" or "to cover up"). "Underwhelm" is fashioned after "overwhelm" and probably originated as a playful alteration intended as a mildly humorous way of describing something unimpressive. More than one person claims the distinction of having invented "underwhelm"; several sources attribute it to the playwright George S. Kaufman, but sports columnist Red Smith is quoted as believing he coined the word himself, and still other sources cite other potential creators. Chances are that the word was in fact coined by more than one inventive writer. 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, 2007 is: wowser • \WOW-zer\ • noun, chiefly Australian : an obtrusively puritanical person Examples: "I'm no wowser, but I draw the line at abusive, foul-mouthed drunks." (Mike Smithson, [South Australia] Sunday Mail, July 2, 2006) Did you know? "Wowser" is a delightful word with an interesting background, though its ultimate origin is unknown. The word first appeared in print in 1899, in the Australian journal Truth, and was instantly popular in Australia. It spread to New Zealand, where it remains in use, and then eventually arrived in England, possibly brought by the Australian troops who served there during World War I. The American writer and editor H. L. Mencken liked "wowser" and attempted to introduce it in the United States. He used the word frequently in American Mercury, the literary magazine he edited. Despite Mencken's efforts the term never truly caught on in American English, though it is used occasionally. 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, 2007 is: perfunctory • \per-FUNK-tuh-ree\ • adjective 1 : characterized by routine or superficiality : mechanical 2 : lacking in interest or enthusiasm Examples: Clearly exhausted after a long day on her feet, our server gave us only a perfunctory greeting before taking our drink orders. Did you know? "Perfunctory" is a word whose origins are found entirely in Latin. First appearing in English in the late 16th century, it derives via the Late Latin "perfunctorius," meaning "done in a careless or superficial manner," from the Latin "perfungi," meaning "to accomplish" or "to get through with." That verb is formed by combining the prefix "per-," meaning "through," with the verb "fungi," meaning "to perform." "Fungi" can be found in the roots of such words as "function," "defunct," and "fungible." "Perfunctory" can describe something that is carried out with little effort or care, as in "He did a perfunctory job raking the leaves," but when used to describe a person it usually means "lacking enthusiasm." *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 April 24, 2007 is: mythomania • \mith-uh-MAY-nee-uh\ • noun : an excessive or abnormal propensity for lying and exaggerating Examples: The therapist speculated that Sharon's mythomania, which makes her want to embellish even the most minor details of her life, may have been triggered by a specific event. Did you know? We wouldn't lie to you about the history of "mythomania." It comes from two ancient roots, the Greek "mythos" (meaning "myth") and the Late Latin "mania" (meaning "insanity marked by uncontrolled emotion or excitement"). One myth about "mythomania" is that it's a very old word; actually, the earliest known uses of the term date only from the beginning of the 20th century. It was predated by a related word, "mythomaniac," which appeared around the middle of the 19th century. "Mythomaniac" initially referred to someone who was obsessed with or passionate about myths but was eventually used for individuals affected with or exhibiting mythomania. 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, 2007 is: fulcrum • \FULL-krum\ • noun 1 a : prop; specifically : the support about which a lever turns b : one that supplies capability for action 2 : a part of an animal that serves as a hinge or support Examples: The development of a revolutionary microprocessor became the fulcrum of the company's success as an information technology giant. Did you know? "Fulcrum," a word that means "bedpost" in Latin, derives from the verb "fulcire," which means "to prop." When the word first appeared in English in the middle of the 17th century, "fulcrum" referred to the point on which a lever or similar device (such as the oar of a boat) is supported. It did not take long for the word to develop a figurative sense, referring to something used as a spur or justification to support a certain action. In zoology, "fulcrum" can also refer to a part of an animal that serves as a hinge or support, such as the joint supporting a bird's wing. *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 April 22, 2007 is: opusculum • \oh-PUS-kyuh-lum\ • noun : a minor work (as of literature) Examples: The book is a collection of opuscula written by the author between his two major novels. Did you know? "Opusculum" -- which is often used in its plural form "opuscula" -- comes from Latin, where it serves as the diminutive form of the noun "opus," meaning "work." In English, "opus" can refer to any literary or artistic work, though it often specifically refers to a musical piece. Logically, then, "opusculum" refers to a short or minor work. ("Opusculum" isn't restricted to music, though. In fact, it is most often used for literary works.) The Latin plural of "opus" is "opera," which gave us (via Italian) the word we know for a musical production consisting primarily of vocal pieces performed with orchestral accompaniment. We can also thank "opus" for our verb "operate." 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, 2007 is: riparian • \ruh-PAIR-ee-un\ • adjective : relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (as a river) or sometimes of a lake or a tidewater Examples: Residents of the riparian community learned to brace themselves for a flood whenever torrential rain was forecast. Did you know? "Riparian" came to English from the same source that gave us "river" -- the Latin "riparius," a noun deriving from "ripa," meaning "bank" or "shore." First appearing in English in the 19th century, "riparian" refers to things that exist alongside a river (such as riparian wetlands, habitats, trees, etc.). Some river communities have laws called "riparian rights," referring to the rights of those owning land along a river to have access to the waterway. Note the distinction of this word from "littoral," which usually refers to things that occur along the shore of a sea or ocean. 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, 2007 is: John Barleycorn • \JAHN-BAR-lee-korn\ • noun : alcoholic liquor personified Examples: "Eureka was, after all, the last home of Carry Nation, that ax-wielding foe of John Barleycorn, Demon Rum and all their evil ilk." (Charles Allbright, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, November 19, 2003) Did you know? "Inspiring bold John Barleycorn! / What dangers thou canst make us scorn!" Robert Burns wasn't the first to use "John Barleycorn" as a personification of liquor when he penned those lines in his poem Tam O'Shanter in the late 1700s. The term had been part of English vernacular for more than 150 years before Burns's heyday, but the poet played a key role in popularizing it by carrying it into literature. "Barleycorn" undoubtedly became part of that euphemism for alcohol because barleycorns (that is, grains of barley) are a key ingredient in malt liquor. And "John" has long been used as a generic name or personifier 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 April 19, 2007 is: absolve • \ub-ZALV\ • verb 1 : to set free from an obligation or the consequences of guilt 2 : to remit (a sin) by absolution Examples: The fact that Andrew was the ringleader does not absolve his friends of responsibility for their part in the prank. Did you know? The act of absolving can be seen as releasing someone from blame or sin, or "loosening" the hold that responsibility has on a person, which provides a hint about the word's origins. "Absolve" was adopted into Middle English in the 15th century from the Latin verb "absolvere," formed by combining the prefix "ab-" ("from, away, off") with "solvere," meaning "to loosen." ("Absolve" also once had additional senses of "finish, accomplish" and "to resolve or explain," but these are now obsolete.) "Solvere" is also the ancestor of the English words "solve," "dissolve," "resolve," "solvent," and "solution." *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 April 18, 2007 is: deus ex machina • \DAY-us-eks-MAH-kih-nuh\ • noun : a person or thing (as in fiction or drama) that appears or is introduced suddenly and unexpectedly and provides a contrived solution to an apparently insoluble difficulty Examples: Only a deus ex machina could resolve the novel's thorny crisis. Did you know? The New Latin term "deus ex machina" is a translation of a Greek phrase and means literally "a god from a machine." "Machine," in this case, refers to the crane that held a god over the stage in ancient Greek and Roman drama. The practice of introducing a god at the end of a play to unravel and resolve the plot dates from at least the 5th century B.C.; Euripides (circa 484-406 B.C.) was one playwright who made frequent use of the device. Since the late 1600s, "deus ex machina" has been applied in English to unlikely saviors and improbable events that bring order out of chaos in sudden and surprising 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 17, 2007 is: rutilant • \ROO-tuh-lunt\ • adjective : having a reddish glow Examples: Embarrassed by the surprise party we threw for her, Joyce held up her hands in an effort to hide her rutilant face. Did you know? "Rutilant," which first appeared in English late in the 15th century, is used in English today to describe anything with a reddish or fiery glow, such as a sunset or flushed skin. It derives from the Latin "rutilus," meaning "ruddy," which is probably related to the Latin "ruber," meaning "red." "Ruber" itself is a direct ancestor of our word "rubella" (a disease named for the reddish color one's skin turns when afflicted with the condition) and "rubric" (which, among other things, can refer to a book or manuscript heading that is done or underlined in red). "Ruber" is also a distant relative of several English words for things that bear a reddish tone (including "russet," "rouge," and "ruby") and even of the word "red" itself. 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, 2007 is: vilify • \VIL-uh-fye\ • verb 1 : to lower in estimation or importance 2 : to utter slanderous and abusive statements against : defame Examples: Janet's angry letter chastised members of the media for attempting to vilify her brother, the disgraced ex-councilman. Did you know? "Vilify" came to English by way of the Middle English "vilifien" and the Late Latin "vilificare" from the Latin adjective "vilis," meaning "cheap" or "vile." It first appeared in English in the 15th century. Also debuting during that time was another verb that derives from "vilis" and has a similar meaning: "vilipend." When they were first used in English, both "vilify" and "vilipend" meant to regard someone or something as being of little worth or importance. "Vilipend" now carries an additional meaning of "to express a low opinion of somebody," while "vilify" means, more specifically, to express such an opinion publicly in a way that intends to embarrass a person or ruin his or her reputation. *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 15, 2007 is: temerity • \tuh-MAIR-uh-tee\ • noun : unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition : rashness, recklessness Examples: The official was thrown into jail for having the temerity to publicly disagree with the dictator. Did you know? When it comes to flagrant boldness, "temerity," "audacity," "hardihood," and "effrontery" have the cheek to get your meaning across. Of those synonyms, "temerity" (from the Latin "temere," meaning "blindly" or "recklessly") suggests boldness arising from contempt of danger, while "audacity" implies a disregard of the restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence. "Hardihood" implies firmness in daring and defiance, and "effrontery" suggests a shameless disregard of propriety and courtesy. If you're looking for a more informal term for a brash attitude, you might consider "nerve," "cheek," "gall," or "chutzpah." 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, 2007 is: overweening • \oh-ver-WEE-ning\ • adjective 1 : arrogant, presumptuous 2 : immoderate, exaggerated Examples: The overweening ambition of the novel's principal character eventually leads to his downfall. Did you know? "The overweening conceit which the greater part of men have of their own abilities is an ancient evil remarked by the philosophers and moralists of all ages." So wrote Adam Smith in his The Wealth of Nations. But while overweening conceit might be an age-old evil, the word "overweening" has only been part of English since the 14th century. It developed from the Middle English "overwening," the present participle of the verb "overwenen," which meant "to be arrogant." That term derived in turn from "wenen," which meant "to think" or "to imagine." Today, the adjective "overweening" is the most widely used of the "wenen" descendants, but historical texts also occasionally include "overween," a term for thinking too highly of your own opinion. *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 13, 2007 is: grog • \GRAHG\ • noun : alcoholic liquor; especially : liquor (as rum) cut with water and now often served hot with lemon juice and sugar sometimes added Examples: "Let's go and find a real bar," said Mort. "We shouldn't have to settle for the grog they serve in this place." Did you know? Eighteenth-century English admiral Edward Vernon reputedly earned the nickname "Old Grog" because he often wore a cloak made from grogram (a coarse, loosely woven fabric made of silk or silk blended with mohair or wool). In Old Grog's day, sailors in the Royal Navy were customarily given a daily ration of rum, but in 1740 the admiral, concerned about the health of his men, ordered that the rum should be diluted with water. The decision wasn't very popular with the sailors, who supposedly dubbed the mixture "grog" after Vernon. Today, "grog" can be used as a general term for any liquor, even undiluted, and someone who acts drunk or shaky can be called "groggy." 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, 2007 is: churlish • \CHUR-lish\ • adjective 1 : of, resembling, or characteristic of a churl : vulgar 2 : marked by a lack of civility or graciousness : surly 3 : difficult to work with or deal with : intractable Examples: She was obviously very upset over losing the match, but that's no excuse for her churlish behavior toward her opponent. Did you know? It is easy to understand how "churlish" has come to mean "vulgar," "surly," and "intractable" if you know your English history. In Anglo-Saxon England a churl, or ceorl, was a freeman of the lowest rank who owned and cultivated a small farm. He had certain rights and had the upward mobility to rise to the rank of thane. After the Norman Conquest, however, many churls became serfs, and the word "churl" eventually came to be used as a pejorative for a rude, ill-bred person. *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 April 11, 2007 is: akimbo • \uh-KIM-boh\ • adjective or adverb 1 : having the hand on the hip and the elbow turned outward 2 : set in a bent position Examples: The model, arms akimbo, struck a pose at the end of the runway. Did you know? It's "akimbo" nowadays, but in Middle English, the spelling "in kenebowe" was used for the bent, hand-on-hip arm (or later, for any bent position). Originally, the term was fairly neutral, but now saying that a person is standing with "arms akimbo" implies a posture that communicates defiance, confidence, aggressiveness, or arrogance. In her novel Little Women, Louisa May Alcott took the word one step further, extending it into the figurative realm when she explained that tomboyish Jo had not been invited to participate in an elegant event with the other young ladies of the neighborhood because "her elbows were decidedly akimbo at this period of her life." *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 April 10, 2007 is: nonage • \NAH-nij\ • noun 1 : minority 2 a : a period of youth b : lack of maturity Examples: Peter the Great became the czar of Russia while still in his nonage, so the country was ruled for a time by his half-sister Sophia. Did you know? Minority, majority; infancy, adulthood; nonage, full age -- here you have the three contrasting pairs that constitute the vocabulary of legal age. "Minority," "infancy," and "nonage" are synonyms that mean "the state or time of being under legal age." "Majority," "adulthood," and "full age" mean "the state or time of being of legal age." (All these words, particularly "infancy" and "adulthood," have other meanings as well, of course.) "Nonage" came to us by way of Middle English from an Anglo-French union of "non-" and "age," which combine to mean "not of age." *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 9, 2007 is: pluvial • \PLOO-vee-ul\ • adjective 1 a : of or relating to rain b : characterized by abundant rain 2 : resulting from the action of rain Examples: The pluvial climate of England didn't dampen our trip; instead, it gave us a chance to visit some excellent pubs and chat with the locals. Did you know? In the early 17th century, clerics began wearing long cloaks known as "pluvials" for protection against the rain during processions. The name of the cloak is based on the Latin word for "rain": "pluvia." By the mid-17th century, "pluvial" was also being used as an adjective meaning "of or relating to rain," as in "pluvial water." Later, in the 19th century, it made a splash in the geologic field as a word describing epochs having relatively high average rainfall and things caused or formed by rain, like "pluvial erosion" or "pluvial lakes." *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 April 8, 2007 is: longanimity • \long-guh-NIM-uh-tee\ • noun : a disposition to bear injuries patiently : forbearance Examples: Grandmother bore the trials and tribulations of her life with longanimity. Did you know? "Longanimity" is a word with a long history. It came to English in the 15th century from the Late Latin adjective "longanimis," meaning "patient" or "long-suffering." "Longanimis," in turn, derives from the Latin combination of "longus" ("long") and "animus" ("soul"). "Longus" is related to the ancestors of our word "long" and is itself an ancestor to several other English words, including "longevity" ("long life"), "elongate" ("to make longer"), and "prolong" ("to lengthen in time"). 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, 2007 is: hypothecate • \hy-PAH-thuh-kayt\ • verb : hypothesize Examples: The scientist hypothecated that the lab rats' new behavior was linked to changes in their sleep patterns. Did you know? "Hypothecate" is a controversial word. It has existed as a synonym of "hypothesize" since 1906, showing up primarily in scientific and linguistic sources, but usage commentators have long criticized it, from Henry Fowler in 1926 to Harry Shaw in 1987. It is sometimes perceived as a mistaken use of another "hypothecate," one meaning "to pledge as security without title or possession." Both "hypothecate" homographs -- and "hypothesize" too -- derive ultimately from the Greek "hypotithenai" ("to put under," "to suppose," or "to deposit as a pledge"), but each entered English by a different route. The hypothesizing "hypothecate" is a legitimate (albeit uncommon) word in its own right, not a misuse of its homograph. If you want to avoid the controversy altogether, however, you can stick with the more common "hypothesize." 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, 2007 is: quip • \KWIP\ • noun 1 a : a clever usually taunting remark : gibe b : a witty or funny observation or response usually made on the spur of the moment 2 : quibble, equivocation 3 : something strange, droll, curious, or eccentric : oddity Examples: To almost every comment I made, Adam responded with a quip and a smile. Did you know? "Quip" is an abbreviation of "quippy," a noun that is no longer in use. Etymologists believe that "quippy" derived from the Latin "quippe," a word meaning "indeed" or "to be sure" that was often used ironically. The earliest sense of "quip," referring to a cutting or sarcastic remark, was common for approximately a century after it first appeared in print in 1532. It then fell out of use until the beginning of the 19th century, when it underwent a revival that continues to the present day. *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 April 5, 2007 is: ex parte • \eks-PAR-tee\ • adverb or adjective 1 : on or from one side or party only -- used of legal proceedings 2 : from a one-sided or partisan point of view Examples: I prefer that news program because it sticks to unbiased reporting with no ex parte commentary. Did you know? "Latin has not been over-used in a procedural context ('ex parte' being a rare exception)," wrote a correspondent to the London Times in May 1999. Indeed, "ex parte" (which literally meant "on behalf [of]" in Medieval Latin) pops up quite often in legal settings. An ex parte proceeding, for example, is one that occurs at the request of and for the benefit of one party, usually without the knowledge and participation of any other party. Even when "ex parte" steps outside of the courtroom -- to be used of an ex parte meeting, interview, chat, conversation, investigation, discussion, or contact, for example -- the "one-sided" sense often has some sort of legal or legislative slant, referring to involvement of just one party or side in a case or dispute. *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 4, 2007 is: ingenuous • \in-JEN-yuh-wus\ • adjective 1 : showing innocent or childlike simplicity and candidness 2 : lacking craft or subtlety Examples: "The face of the old man was stern, hard-featured, and forbidding; that of the young one, open, handsome, and ingenuous." (Charles Dickens, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby) Did you know? Today, the words "ingenuous" and "ingenious" have distinct meanings and are not used interchangeably, but that wasn't always the case. For many years, the two words were used as synonyms. "Ingenious" has always had the fundamental meaning of "clever," and "ingenuous" has been most often used to suggest frankness and openness (owing either to good character or, now more often, innocence), but there was a time when "ingenious" could also mean "frank" and "ingenuous" could mean "clever." The publication in 1755 of Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language, in which these synonymous uses are not recognized, may have had something to do with establishing "ingenious" and "ingenuous" as distinct words. In any case, they appear to have ceased being used as synonyms by about 1800. *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 3, 2007 is: clepsydra • \KLEP-suh-druh\ • noun : water clock Examples: "Maybe we should reintroduce the ancient Greek practice of timing political speeches with clepsydra -- when the water is gone, the oration is over," suggested Alfie. Did you know? In ancient times the sun was used to measure time during the day, but sundials weren't much help after dark, so peoples around the world invented clocks that used dripping water to mark the hours. In one kind of water clock, possibly invented by the Chaldeans, a vessel was filled with water that was allowed to escape through a hole. The vessel's inside was marked with graduated lines, and the time was read by measuring the level of the remaining water. The ancient Greeks called their water clocks "klepsydra" ("water thief"), which comes from "kleptein" ("to steal") and "hydōr" ("water"). English speakers stole "clepsydra" from the Greeks in the 16th century, but actual water clocks have become increasingly rare. 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, 2007 is: rebarbative • \rih-BAR-buh-tiv\ • adjective : repellent, irritating Examples: Adrianna frequently wrote to her local newspaper to complain about the redundant headlines, rebarbative editorial commentary, and grammatical errors. Did you know? You may be surprised to learn that today's word traces back to the Latin word for "beard" -- "barba" -- making it a very distant relative of the English word "beard." But there is some sense to the connection. After all, beards may not be repellent, but they can be prickly and scratchy! Another descendant of Latin "barba" is the English word "barb," which can refer to a sharp projection (as found on barbed wire) or a biting critical remark, both of which can discourage others from getting too close. 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, 2007 is: whammy • \WAM-ee\ • noun 1 a : a supernatural power bringing bad luck b : a magic curse or spell : jinx, hex 2 : a potent force or attack; specifically : a paralyzing or lethal blow Examples: "The nation's working poor have been hit by another whammy," said the senator, referring to a recent tax hike. Did you know? The origin of "whammy" is not entirely certain, but it is assumed to have been created by combining "wham" ("a solid blow") with the whimsical "-y" ending. The first example of "whammy" in print occured in 1940, but the word was popularized in the 1950s by the cartoonist Al Capp in the comic strip "Li'l Abner." The character Evil-Eye Fleegle could paralyze someone with the sheer power of his gaze. The "single whammy" was a look with one eye, and the fearsome "double whammy" used both eyes. As you may know, "double whammy" has also found a place in English as a general term. It means "a combination of two adverse forces, circumstances, or effects" -- in other words, a one-two punch. *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.