Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 31, 2007 is: interstice • \in-TER-stus\ • noun 1 : space that intervenes between things; especially : one between closely spaced things 2 : short space of time between events Examples: Paula found a bundle of love letters tucked in an interstice in the wall, where they must have been hidden by one of the house's former occupants. Did you know? You don't need to read between the lines to understand the history of "interstice"; its etymology is plain to see. "Interstice" derives from the Latin "interstitium," which is itself formed from the prefix "inter-," meaning "between," and "-stes," meaning "standing." Interstices are the cracks and crevices of life, and the word is often used for both the literal and figurative gaps of the world. In modern uses, "interstice" can even refer to gaps in time or to special niches in the larger expanse of something else. Evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould used it, for example, to comment, "Dinosaurs held sway for 100 million years while mammals, all the while, lived as small animals in the interstices of their world." *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 March 30, 2007 is: ersatz • \AIR-sahts\ • adjective : being a usually artificial and inferior substitute or imitation Examples: After ordering his coffee, Tony saw that there was no sugar available at the counter, so he had to settle for an ersatz alternative. Did you know? "Ersatz" can be traced back in English to 1875, but it really came into prominence during World War I. Borrowed from German, where "Ersatz" is a noun meaning "substitute," the word was frequently applied as an adjective in English to items like "coffee" (from acorns) and "flour" (from potatoes) -- ersatz products resulting from the privations of war. By the time World War II came around, bringing with it a resurgence of the word along with more substitute products, "ersatz" was wholly entrenched in the language. Today, "ersatz" can be applied to almost anything that seems like an artificial imitation: "Even when those marketplaces did succeed, the fun always felt a little ersatz." (Malcolm Jones Jr., Newsweek, April 22, 1996) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 29, 2007 is: bucolic • \byoo-KAH-lik\ • adjective 1 : of or relating to shepherds or herdsmen : pastoral 2 : relating to or typical of rural life Examples: While sitting in rush hour traffic, Cecilia often daydreamed about living in a little house in a quiet, bucolic setting. Did you know? We get "bucolic" from the Latin word "bucolicus," which is ultimately from the Greek word "boukolos," meaning "cowherd." When "bucolic" was first used in English in the early 17th century, it meant "pastoral" in a narrow sense -- that is, it referred to things related to shepherds or herdsmen and in particular to pastoral poetry. Later in the 19th century, it was applied more broadly to things rural or rustic. "Bucolic" has also been occasionally used as a noun meaning "a pastoral poem" or "a bucolic person." *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 March 28, 2007 is: inveigh • \in-VAY\ • verb : to protest or complain bitterly or vehemently : rail Examples: The senator inveighed against the new FDA regulations, claiming they allow loopholes for manufacturers. Did you know? You might complain or grumble about some wrong you see, or, for a stronger effect, you can "inveigh" against it. "Inveigh" comes from the Latin verb "invehere," which joins the prefix "in-" with the verb "vehere," meaning "to carry." "Invehere" literally means "to carry in," and when "inveigh" first appeared in English, it was also used to mean "to carry in" or "to introduce." Extended meanings of "invehere," however, are "to force one's way into," "attack," and "to assail with words," and that's where the current sense of "inveigh" comes from. A closely related word is "invective," which means "insulting or abusive language." This word, too, ultimately comes from "invehere." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 27, 2007 is: corrigendum • \kor-uh-JEN-dum\ • noun : an error in a printed work discovered after printing and shown with its correction on a separate sheet Examples: Not only was the document itself full of errors, but the corrigenda included with it had mistakes as well! Did you know? If you guessed that "corrigendum" might be connected to the word "correct," you are quite right. Both "corrigendum" and "correct" derive from the Latin verb "corrigere," which means "to correct." The noun "corrigendum" and its plural "corrigenda" came to us unaltered from Latin in the early 19th century. The verb "correct" is much older; it has been part of our language since at least the 14th century. Other descendants of the very correct "corrigere" include "incorrigible" and "escort." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 26, 2007 is: panoply • \PAN-uh-plee\ • noun 1 : a full suit of armor 2 : something forming a protective covering 3 : a magnificent or impressive array Examples: Jeff's house was furnished with a panoply of up-to-date home entertainment devices. Did you know? "Panoply" comes from the Greek word "panoplia," which referred to the full suit of armor worn by "hoplites," heavily armed infantry soldiers of ancient Greece. "Panoplia" is a blend of the prefix "pan-," meaning "all," and "hopla," meaning "arms" or "armor." (As you may have guessed already, "hopla" is also an ancestor of "hoplite.") "Panoply" entered the English language in the 17th century, and since then it has developed other senses which extend both the "armor" and the "full set" aspects of its original use. *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 March 25, 2007 is: prevaricate • \prih-VAIR-uh-kayt\ • verb : to deviate from the truth : equivocate Examples: In Henry Fielding's novel Tom Jones, Squire Allworthy demands, "Look you, Mr. Dowling..., do not hesitate nor prevaricate; but answer faithfully and truly to every question I ask." Did you know? "Prevaricate" and its synonyms "lie" and "equivocate" all refer to playing fast and loose with the truth. "Lie" is the bluntest of the three. When you accuse someone of lying, you are saying he or she was intentionally dishonest, no bones about it. "Prevaricate" is less accusatory and softens the bluntness of "lie," usually implying that someone is evading the truth rather than purposely making false statements. "Equivocate" is similar to "prevaricate," but it generally implies that someone is deliberately using words that have more than one meaning as a way to conceal the truth. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 24, 2007 is: enjoin • \in-JOIN\ • verb 1 : to direct or impose by authoritative order or with urgent admonition 2 a : forbid, prohibit b : to prohibit by a judicial order : put an injunction on Examples: Mr. Alvarez enjoined the class to be quiet, and the stern tone of his voice made everyone obey immediately. Did you know? Which of these words do you think has the same root as "enjoin"? a. entelechy b. joy c. junta d. purloin It might help if we tell you that "enjoin" derives ultimately from the verb "jungere," which means "to join." "Jungere" is behind a number of English words, including "join," "conjoin," "disjoin," and "junction." Are you ready for your answer? The correct choice is "junta," a term that entered English by way of Spanish. A junta is a committee that controls a government, especially after a revolutionary seizure of power -- in other words, a group of persons "joined" together for a specific purpose. *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 March 23, 2007 is: drub • \DRUB\ • verb 1 : to beat severely 2 : to berate critically 3 : to defeat decisively Examples: After being drubbed by the worst team in the league, the hometown players slunk into the locker room with their heads hung low. Did you know? Sportswriters often use "drub," but the term's history reveals that it wasn't always a sporting word. When "drub" was first used in English, it referred to a method of punishment that involved beating the soles of a culprit's feet with a stick or cudgel. The term was apparently brought to England in the 17th century by travelers who reported observing the punitive practice in Asia. Etymologists are uncertain of the ultimate origin of "drub," but some have speculated that it may have evolved from the Arabic word "daraba," meaning "to beat." *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 March 22, 2007 is: augur • \AW-gur\ • verb 1 : to foretell especially from omens 2 : to give promise of : presage Examples: California's unusually cold winter does not augur well for the citrus crop. Did you know? Auguring is what augurs did in ancient Rome. These were official diviners whose function it was, not to foretell the future, but to divine whether the gods approved of a proposed undertaking, such as a military move. They did so by various means, among them observing the behavior of birds and examining the entrails of sacrificed animals. Nowadays, the "foretell" sense of the verb is often used with an adverb, such as "well," as in our example sentence. "Augur" comes from Latin and is related to the Latin verb "augēre," meaning "to increase." *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 March 21, 2007 is: sidereal • \sye-DEER-ee-ul\ • adjective 1 : of or relating to stars or constellations 2 : measured by the apparent motion of the stars Examples: Few astronomers have witnessed the sidereal phenomenon of a supernova. Did you know? In Latin, the word for "heavenly body" is "sidus." Latin speakers used that word to form "desiderare" ("from a heavenly body") and "considerare" ("to think about a heavenly body"), which were adopted into English as "desire" and "consider." "Sidereal," another "sidus" creation, was first used in English in 1647. Thirty-four years later, an astronomer coined the phrase "sidereal year" for the time in which the earth completes one revolution in its orbit around the sun, measured with respect to the fixed stars. Not surprisingly, other sidereal measurements of time followed, including the sidereal month, the sidereal day, the sidereal hour, and even the sidereal minute. *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 March 20, 2007 is: perforce • \per-FORSS\ • adverb : by force of circumstances Examples: Lorel and Curt's tiny vineyard produces a limited quantity of top-quality chardonnays that are perforce rather pricey. Did you know? English speakers borrowed "par force" from Anglo-French in the 14th century. "Par" meant "by" (from Latin "per") and the Anglo-French word "force" had the same meaning as its English equivalent, which was already in use by then. At first, "perforce" meant quite literally "by physical coercion." That meaning is no longer used today, but it was still prevalent in William Shakespeare's lifetime (1564-1616). "He rush'd into my house and took perforce my ring away," wrote the Bard in The Comedy of Errors. The "force of circumstances" sense of "perforce" had also come into use by Shakespeare's day. In Henry IV, Part 2, we find ". . . your health; the which, if you give o'er to stormy passion, must perforce decay." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 19, 2007 is: ablution • \uh-BLOO-shun\ • noun 1 a : the washing of one's body or part of it (as in a religious rite) b : the act or action of bathing 2 : a building housing bathing and toilet facilities on a military base Examples: The river that flowed past the campsite had a secluded nook where we could take care of our ablutions in privacy. Did you know? "Ablution" derives via Middle French and Middle English from the Latin verb "abluere," meaning "to wash away," formed from the prefix "ab-" ("away, off") and "lavere" ("to wash"). Early uses of the word occurred in contexts of alchemy and chemistry. It was first used of washing as a religious rite by Thomas More in The Apologye Made by Hym (1533). Many religions include some kind of washing of the body in their rituals, usually as a form of purification or dedication. The use of the term to refer to the action of washing one's body without any religious significance did not take hold in English until the mid-18th century. *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 March 18, 2007 is: sinuous • \SIN-yuh-wus\ • adjective 1 a : of a serpentine or wavy form : winding b : marked by strong lithe movements 2 : intricate, complex Examples: While flying over the Midwest, I saw a long, sinuous river that wound through fields, farms, and towns as it made its way towards the Gulf of Mexico. Did you know? Although it probably makes you think more of snakes than head colds, "sinuous" is etymologically more like "sinus" than "serpent." "Sinuous" and "sinus" both derive from the Latin noun "sinus," which means "curve, fold, or hollow." Other "sinus" descendents include "insinuate" ("to impart or suggest in an artful or indirect way") and two terms you might remember from math class: "sine" and "cosine." In English, "sinus" is the oldest of these words; it entered the language in the 1400s. "Insinuate" appeared next, in 1529, and was followed by "sinuous" (1578), "sine" (1593), and "cosine" (1635). "Serpent," by the way, entered English in the 13th century and comes from the Latin verb "serpere," meaning "to creep." *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 March 17, 2007 is: milieu • \meel-YUR\ • noun : the physical or social setting in which something occurs or develops : environment Examples: The quiet suburban neighborhood was within walking distance of the elementary school and provided the perfect milieu for raising a family. Did you know? The etymology of "milieu" comes down to "mi" and "lieu." English speakers learned the word (and borrowed both its spelling and meaning) from French. The modern French term comes from two much older French forms, "mi," meaning "middle," and "lieu," meaning "place." Like so many terms in the Romance languages, those Old French forms can ultimately be traced to Latin; "mi" is an offspring of the Latin "medius"(meaning "middle") and "lieu" is a derivative of "locus" (meaning "place"). English speakers have used "milieu" for the environment or setting of something since at least the mid-1800s, but other "lieu" descendants are much older. We've used both "lieu" itself (meaning "place" or "stead," as in "in lieu of") and "lieutenant" since the 14th century. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 16, 2007 is: rococo • \ruh-KOH-koh\ • adjective 1 : of or relating to an artistic style especially of the 18th century characterized by fanciful curved asymmetrical forms and elaborate ornamentation 2 : excessively ornate or intricate Examples: "While the lobby appears almost rococo, rooms are a study in spare, clean elegance. . .." (Jeff Morgan, Wine Spectator, October 15, 1996) Did you know? In the 18th century, French artists rebelled against the ponderousness of Baroque style and began to create light, delicate interior decorations, furniture, and architectural elements characterized by fanciful curved asymmetrical forms and elaborate ornamentation. The name of their new style, "rococo," has been traced to the French "rocaille," a term that evoked the ornamental use of rock and shell forms. In time, "rococo" was also applied to similarly ornamented and intimate styles of painting and music. But all fashions fade, and by the mid-1800s the rococo style was deemed excessively ornate and out-of-date. Now "rococo" is often used with mild disdain to describe the overly elaborate. *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 March 15, 2007 is: abstain • \ub-STAYN\ • verb : to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice Examples: It is now recommended that pregnant women abstain from alcohol and certain medications until after delivery. Did you know? If you "abstain," you're consciously and usually with effort choosing to "hold back" from doing something that you would like to do. So it's no surprise that "abstain" traces back through Middle English and Anglo-French to the Latin "abstinēre," which combines the prefix "ab-" ("from, away, off") with "tenēre," a Latin verb meaning "to hold." "Tenēre" has many offspring in English -- other descendants include "contain," "detain," "maintain," "obtain," "pertain," "retain," and "sustain," as well as some words that don't end in "-tain," such as "tenacious." "Abstain," like many of its cousins, has been used by English speakers since at least the 14th century. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 14, 2007 is: volatile • \VAH-luh-tul\ • adjective 1 : readily vaporizable at a relatively low temperature 2 : tending to erupt into violence : explosive 3 : characterized by or subject to rapid or unexpected change Examples: The country's unsteady economy is due to volatile global markets and the new government's rash economic reforms. Did you know? "Volatile" was originally for the birds -- quite literally. Back in the 14th century, "volatile" was a noun that referred to birds (especially wild fowl) or other winged creatures, such as butterflies. That's not as flighty as it sounds. "Volatile" traces back to the Latin verb "volare," which means "to fly." By the end of the 16th century, people were using "volatile" as an adjective for things that were so light they seemed ready to fly. The adjective was soon extended to vapors and gases, and by the early 17th century, "volatile" was being applied to individuals or things as prone to sudden change as some gaseous substances. In recent years, "volatile" has landed in economic, political, and technical contexts far flown from its avian origins. *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 March 13, 2007 is: futile • \FYOO-tul\ • adjective 1 : serving no useful purpose : completely ineffective 2 : occupied with trifles : frivolous Examples: Unfortunately, all efforts to repair the damage ultimately proved futile. Did you know? "Futile" floated into the English language in the mid-16th century from Middle French, where it took shape from the Latin adjective "futilis," meaning "that easily pours out" or "leaky." That leak of information lets you in on how "futile" developed its "ineffective" and "frivolous" meanings: things that are leaky are of no use. In 1827, English author Robert Southey found use for the word by flowing it into "utilitarian" to form "futilitarian," a word that is used today for anyone who believes that human striving is futile. *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 March 12, 2007 is: boondoggle • \BOON-dah-gul\ • noun 1 : a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide, hatband, or ornament 2 : a wasteful or impractical project or activity often involving graft Examples: The editorial claims that the new multimillion-dollar sports complex is a boondoggle and a frivolous waste of tax dollars. Did you know? When "boondoggle" popped up in the pages of the New York Times in 1935, lots of people tried to explain where the word came from. One theory traced it to an Ozarkian word for "gadget," while another related it to the Tagalog word that gave us "boondocks." Another hypothesis suggested that "boondoggle" came from the name of leather toys Daniel Boone supposedly made for his dog. But the only theory that is supported by evidence is much simpler. In the 1920s, Robert Link, a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America, apparently coined the word to name the braided leather cords made and worn by scouts. The word came to prominence when such a scout boondoggle was presented to the Prince of Wales at the 1929 World Jamboree, and it's been with us ever since. *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 March 11, 2007 is: chimera • \kye-MEER-uh\ • noun 1 : an imaginary monster compounded of incongruous parts 2 : an illusion or fabrication of the mind; especially : an unrealizable dream Examples: Jared decided to leave the company upon realizing that his hopes for advancement were merely a chimera. Did you know? In Greek mythology, the Chimera was a fearsome, fire-breathing monster with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a dragon's tail. She terrorized the people of Lycia until their king, Iobates, asked the hero Bellerophon to slay her. Iobates had an ulterior motive; his son-in-law wanted Bellerophon killed and the king was sure the Chimera would do the job. But Bellerophon called in Pegasus, the winged horse, and brought the Chimera down from above. The beast lived on in people's imaginations, and English speakers adopted her name for any similarly grotesque monster, or, later, for anything fanciful. *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 March 10, 2007 is: transpire • \tran-SPY-er\ • verb 1 : to give off vaporous material; specifically : to give off or exude watery vapor especially from the surfaces of leaves 2 : to become known or apparent : develop 3 : to take place : go on, occur Examples: The police are still trying to determine what really transpired on the night of the accident. Did you know? "Transpire" came to life in the late 16th century and was originally used in technical contexts to describe the passage of vapor through the pores of a membrane. From this technical use developed a figurative sense: "to escape from secrecy," or "to become known." That sense was often used in ambiguous contexts and could be taken to mean "happen." (For example, Emily Dickinson wrote in a letter, "I long to see you once more ... to tell you of many things which have transpired since we parted.") Thus the "to take place" sense developed. Around 1870, usage critics began to attack this sense as a misuse, and modern critics occasionally echo that sentiment. But the sense has been common for two centuries and today is found in serious and polished prose. *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 March 9, 2007 is: succinct • \suk-SINKT\ • adjective : marked by compact precise expression without wasted words Examples: When the laconic Calvin Coolidge announced his decision not to seek reelection, his succinct statement upheld his reputation as one inclined to be brief: "I do not choose to run for President in 1928." Did you know? The history of "succinct" might not be short, but it's a cinch to remember. "Succinct" traces to the Latin verb "succingere" ("to gird about"), which comes from "cingere" ("to gird"), the word that gave us "cincture" and "cinch." The earliest uses of "succinct" meant "confined" or "girded up," and, as such, it was often used in reference to garments encircled by a band. Eventually, "succinct" was extended to the realm of insects, where it meant "supported by a band of silk around the middle" (as in "the succinct pupa of a butterfly"). Later, the word was applied to writings. A "succinct" piece of writing is "compressed" or "compact" and uses as few words as possible. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 8, 2007 is: jaunty • \JAWN-tee\ • adjective : sprightly in manner or appearance : lively Examples: Flashbulbs lit up the scene as the bubbly actress sashayed down the red carpet, wearing a jaunty little headpiece that complemented her airy designer gown. Did you know? You might not guess that the words "jaunty" and "genteel" are related -- but they are. Both words evolved from the French word "gentil," which carried the sense of "noble." At first "jaunty" was used, like "genteel," for things aristocratic, but as the years went by people stopped using it that way. Today "jaunty" is used to describe things that are lively and perky -- not things that are aristocratic and elegant -- and the only remaining clue to its noble origin is in its pronunciation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 7, 2007 is: concomitant • \kun-KAH-muh-tunt\ • adjective : accompanying especially in a subordinate or incidental way Examples: Jane is terrified of flying, and she's also not fond of the concomitant annoyances of air travel, like waiting in long security lines. Did you know? "Concomitant" was introduced into English at a time when many people were criticizing the use of Latinate forms in favor of more "native" words from Old English. As a descendant of Latin "concomitari" ("to accompany") and ultimately of "comes," the Latin word for companion, "concomitant" may well have been initially derided as an ostentatious inkhorn term. Indeed, two associated words, the verb "concomitate," meaning "to accompany," and another adjective, "concomitaneous," meaning "of a concomitant nature," didn't survive to accompany "concomitant" into the 18th century. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 6, 2007 is: foist • \FOIST\ • verb 1 a : to introduce or insert surreptitiously or without warrant b : to force another to accept especially by stealth or deceit 2 : to pass off as genuine or worthy Examples: Rather than do the task he was assigned, Jim tried to foist it on one of the newer employees. Did you know? An early sense of the word "foist," now obsolete, referred to palming a phony die and secretly introducing it into a game at an opportune time. The action involved in this cheating tactic reflects the etymology of "foist." The word is believed to derive from the obsolete Dutch verb "vuisten," meaning "to take into one's hand." "Vuisten" in turn comes from "vuyst," the Middle Dutch word for "fist" which itself is distantly related to the Old English ancestor of "fist." By the late 16th century "foist" was being used in English to mean "to insert surreptitiously," and it quickly acquired the meaning "to force another to accept by stealth or deceit." *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 March 5, 2007 is: diablerie • \dee-AH-bluh-ree\ • noun 1 : black magic : sorcery 2 a : a representation in words or pictures of black magic or of dealings with the devil b : demon lore 3 : mischievous conduct or manner Examples: "Gekic can be a dazzling pianist full of diablerie when he's in the mood...." (James Roos, The Miami Herald, March 24, 2002) Did you know? Feeling devilish? Then you might be guilty of at least a little diablerie. Like the related and perhaps more familiar "diabolical," the French "diablerie" originated with the Late Latin "diabolus," which means "devil." Fittingly, "diablerie" was first applied to things related to the devil or to demons, particularly sorcery that was thought to call upon their aid; the word is also applied to representations of the demonic. Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" and Sylvia Townsend Warner's Lolly Willowes contain examples of such representations in literature. Nowadays, the word often suggests a devilish quality or air in a musical performance or artistic work. *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 March 4, 2007 is: nostrum • \NAHSS-trum\ • noun 1 : a medicine of secret composition recommended by its preparer but usually without scientific proof of its effectiveness 2 : a usually questionable remedy or scheme : panacea Examples: Critics predict the mayor's plan to revitalize the downtown area by offering tax breaks to local businesses will prove a costly and ineffective nostrum. Did you know? "In those thrilling days of yesteryear," declared a 1990 Consumer Reports article, "patent-medicine pitchmen and traveling salesmen blanketed the country, hustling notions and nostrums to gullible settlers." The word "nostrum" has often been so linked to quack medicine and false hopes for miracle cures, but there's nothing deceitful about its etymology. It has been a part of English since at least 1602, and comes from the Latin "noster," meaning "our" or "ours." Some people think that specially prepared medicinal concoctions came to be called "nostrums" because their purveyors marketed them as "our own" remedy. In other words, the use of "nostrum" emphasized that such a potion was unique or exclusive to the pitchman peddling it. *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 March 3, 2007 is: lucrative • \LOO-kruh-tiv\ • adjective : producing wealth : profitable Examples: The governor believes that biotechnology will be a lucrative field that can replace manufacturing as the mainstay of the state's economy. Did you know? "Paying," "gainful," "remunerative," and "lucrative" share the meaning of bringing in a return of money, but each term casts a different light on how much green you take in. "Paying" is the word for jobs that yield the smallest potatoes -- your first paying job probably provided satisfactory compensation, but you weren't going to get rich by it. "Gainful" employment might offer a bit more cash, and "gainful" certainly suggests that an individual is motivated by a desire for gain. "Remunerative" implies that a job provides more than the usual rewards, but a "lucrative" position is the one you want -- those are the kind that go well beyond your initial hopes or expectations. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 2, 2007 is: analogue • \AN-uh-log\ • noun 1 : something that is similar to something else 2 : an organ or part similar in function to an organ or part of another animal or plant but different in structure and origin Examples: "The town I live in now," explained Tina, "is an analogue of the town I grew up in -- similar in climate, population, and demographics." Did you know? The word "analogue" entered English from French in the 19th century and ultimately traces back to the Greek word "logos," meaning "ratio." (The word "analogy," which has been a part of English since the 15th century, also descends from "logos.") The noun "analogue" is sometimes spelled "analog," particularly when it refers to a chemical compound that is structurally similar to another but slightly different in composition. Adding to the confusion, there is also an adjective spelled "analog," which came into use in the 20th century. The adjective can refer to something that is analogous (as in "an analog organ"), but it is most often used to distinguish analog electronics from digital electronics (as in "an analog computer" or "an analog clock"). *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 March 1, 2007 is: sawbuck • \SAW-buck\ • noun 1 : a 10-dollar bill 2 : sawhorse; especially : one with X-shaped ends Examples: "Arena rock shows that once promised spectacle for less than a sawbuck have bloated into elite affairs resembling closed corporate events." (Jon Fine, Business Week, February 6, 2006) Did you know? It has been suggested that the word "sawbuck" came to mean "a 10-dollar bill" because the X-shaped ends of a sawbuck look like the Roman numeral for 10. This explanation is problematic because earliest known use of "sawbuck" in print, from 1850, refers to a 10-dollar bill, not a sawhorse. But we won't rule out the possibility that the "sawhorse" sense was used in speech before 1850 and just didn't appear in print until later. If you are wondering about "buck," we can tell you that it first appeared in print as a word for "dollar" in 1856 -- six years after the first recorded use of "sawbuck" for a 10-dollar bill. *Indicates the sense illustrated in 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 February 28, 2007 is: alopecia • \al-uh-PEE-shuh\ • noun : loss of hair, wool, or feathers : baldness Examples: My cousin Amelia recently donated ten inches of her hair to an organization that makes wigs for children who suffer from alopecia. Did you know? Doctors use "alopecia" to refer to various forms of hair loss, including "alopecia areata," a sudden loss of hair in patches that involves little or no inflammation. It may surprise you to learn that the word ultimately derives from "alōpēx," the Greek word for "fox," but the connection makes sense if you think of a fox who is afflicted with mange, a disease with symptoms that include, among other things, loss of hair. Middle English speakers borrowed the Latin word "alopecia," which comes from "alōpekia," a Greek term that can be translated as "mange on foxes." 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 February 27, 2007 is: shill • \SHILL\ • verb 1 : to act as a decoy (as for a pitchman or gambler) 2 : to act as a spokesperson or promoter Examples: She's starring in a new sitcom this season and also shilling for a shampoo in a series of newly released ads. Did you know? Professionals licensed to shill won't necessarily knock you dead, but they may not do you any good either. They might simply be pitchmen employed to extol the wonders of legitimate products. But in the early 1900s, when the first uses of the verb "shill" were documented, it was more likely that anyone hired to shill you was trying to con you into parting with some cash. Practitioners were called "shills" (that noun also dates from the early 1900s), and they did everything from faking big wins at casinos (to promote gambling) to pretending to buy tickets (to encourage people to see certain shows). "Shill" is thought to be a shortened form of "shillaber," but etymologists have found no definitive evidence of where that longer term originated. *Indicates 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 February 26, 2007 is: fulsome • \FULL-sum\ • adjective 1 a : characterized by abundance : copious b : generous in amount, extent, or spirit 2 : exceeding the bounds of good taste : overdone 3 : excessively complimentary or flattering : effusive Examples: Stan's praise for Emily was so fulsome it didn't seem sincere. Did you know? There is a lot of confusion about exactly what "fulsome" means. Some critics disapprove of using it in its original "copious" sense because they feel that sense is not negative enough; they say that "fulsome" should always be at least mildly deprecatory. It's true that today "fulsome" is often used pejoratively to describe overly effusive language, but modern English writers still sometimes use it simply to mean "abundant," or occasionally even in contexts where it is complimentary. Some writers go to the more negative extreme, using it for things that are offensive to normal tastes or sensibilities. To avoid misinterpretation, either be sure that the context in which you use the word makes the intended meaning clear or choose a different word. *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 February 25, 2007 is: asunder • \uh-SUN-der\ • adverb or adjective 1 : into parts 2 : apart from each other in position Examples: The wreckage is believed to be that of a British vessel that was torn asunder by a deadly storm almost a hundred years ago. Did you know? "Asunder" dates from the 14th century and can be traced back to the Old English word "sundor," meaning "apart." It is a relative of the verb "sunder," which means "to break apart or in two" or "to become parted or severed." The "into parts" sense of "asunder" is often used in the phrase "tear asunder," which can be used both literally and figuratively (as in "a family torn asunder by tragedy"). The "separated in position" sense can be found in the phrase "poles asunder," used to describe two things that are as vastly far apart as the poles of the Earth. *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 February 24, 2007 is: colporteur • \KAHL-por-ter\ • noun : a peddler of religious books Examples: When she was working as a colporteur, Lena found some people to be more receptive to her offerings than others. Did you know? In 19th-century America, the word "colporteur" (a French borrowing meaning "peddler") came to be used especially of door-to-door peddlers of religious books and tracts, and it has carried that specific sense into the 21st century. The word traces to the Latin prefix "com-" ("together") plus the verb "portare" ("to carry"), two elements that were brought together to create "comportare" ("to bring together"). Middle French speakers tucked that word into their linguistic pack as "comporter" ("to carry" or "to peddle"), giving rise to "comporteur." Over time, perhaps influenced by the phrase "porter à col" ("to carry on one's back or neck"), the term's spelling shifted to the form now used. 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 February 23, 2007 is: panic • \PAN-ik\ • noun a : a sudden overpowering fright; also : acute extreme anxiety b : a sudden unreasoning terror often accompanied by mass flight c : a sudden widespread fright concerning financial affairs that results in hurried selling and a sharp fall in prices 2 slang : one that is very funny Examples: Jennifer experienced a sudden panic at the thought of failing all of her classes. Did you know? "Panic" comes to us from French "panique," which in turn derives from Greek "panikos," meaning literally "of Pan." Pan is the pipe-playing, nymph-chasing Greek god of fertility, pastures, flocks, and shepherds. (His name is a Doric contraction of "paon," meaning "pasturer.") He also has a rather dark side -- his shout is said to have instilled fear in the giants fighting the gods, and the Greeks believed him responsible for causing the Persians to flee in terror at the battle of Marathon. "Panic" entered our language first as an adjective suggesting the mental or emotional state that Pan was said to induce. The adjective first appeared in print at the beginning of the 17th century, and the noun followed about a century later. *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 February 22, 2007 is: lèse-majesté • \layz-MAJ-uh-stee\ • noun 1 a : a crime (as treason) committed against a sovereign power b : an offense violating the dignity of a ruler as the representative of a sovereign power 2 : a detraction from or affront to dignity or importance Examples: Some family members view Ty's criticism of his grandfather as an act of lèse-majesté. Did you know? "Lèse-majesté" (or "lese majesty," as it is also styled in English publications) comes into English by way of Middle French, from the Latin "laesa majestas," which literally means "injured majesty." The English term can conceivably cover any offense against a sovereign power or its ruler, from treason to a simple breach of etiquette. "Lèse-majesté" has also acquired a more lighthearted or ironic meaning, that of an insult or impudence to a particularly pompous or self-important person or organization. As such, it may be applied to a relatively inoffensive act that has been exaggeratedly treated as if it were a great affront. *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 February 21, 2007 is: draconian • \dray-KOH-nee-un\ • adjective, often capitalized 1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of Draco or the severe code of laws held to have been framed by him 2 : cruel; also : severe Examples: Sue contends that the city's steep fine for jaywalking is a draconian form of punishment. Did you know? "Draconian" comes from "Draco," the name of a 7th-century B.C. Athenian legislator who created a written code of law. Draco's code was intended to clarify preexistent laws, but its severity is what made it really memorable. In Draco's code, even minor offenses were punishable by death, and failure to pay one's debts could result in slavery. "Draconian," as a result, became associated with things cruel or harsh. Something "draconian" need not always be as cruel as the laws in Draco's code, though -- today the word is used in a wide variety of ways and often refers to measures (steep parking fines, for example) that are relatively minor when compared with the death penalty. *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 February 20, 2007 is: quail • \KWAIL\ • verb 1 : to give way : falter 2 : to recoil in dread or terror : cower Examples: Even though she quailed at the thought of rejection, Gwen asked Marcel out to dinner. Did you know? "Flinch," "recoil," and "wince" are all synonyms of "quail," but each word has a slightly different use. When you flinch, you fail to endure pain or to face something dangerous or frightening with resolution ("she faced her accusers without flinching"). "Recoil" implies a start or movement away from something through shock, fear, or disgust ("he recoiled at the suggestion of stealing"). "Wince" usually suggests a slight involuntary physical reaction to something ("she winced as the bright light suddenly hit her eyes"). "Quail" implies shrinking and cowering in fear ("he quailed before the apparition"). *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 February 19, 2007 is: apropos • \ap-ruh-POH\ • adjective : being both relevant and opportune Examples: Sean interrupted our conversation about politics and, apropos of nothing, asked who we thought would win the basketball game. Did you know? English borrowed "apropos" from the French phrase "à propos," literally "to the purpose." Since it first appeared in 1668, "apropos" has been used as an adverb, adjective, noun, and preposition. Left alone, the word probably wouldn't have gotten much attention, but in 1926 noted language expert H. W. Fowler declared that "apropos" should always be followed by "of." Since then, most commentators have felt compelled to take note of the term. Some take Fowler's recommendation to be virtually a commandment, but others note that "apropos" is sometimes used by itself in professionally edited prose, or, more rarely, followed by "to." 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 February 18, 2007 is: scintilla • \sin-TILL-uh\ • noun : spark, trace Examples: After the witness's frank and bruising testimony, neither my brother nor I was left with a scintilla of doubt that the defendant was guilty. Did you know? "Scintilla" comes directly from Latin, where it carries the meaning of "spark" -- that is, a bright flash such as you might see from a burning ember. In English, however, our use of "scintilla" is restricted to the figurative sense of "spark" -- a hint or trace of something that barely suggests its presence. The Latin "scintilla" is related to the verb "scintillare," which means "to sparkle" and is responsible for our verb "scintillate" ("to sparkle or gleam," literally or figuratively). In an odd twist, "scintilla" underwent a transposition of the "c" and the "t" (a linguistic phenomenon known as metathesis) to create the Vulgar Latin form "stincilla," which is believed to be an ancestor of our word "stencil." 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 February 17, 2007 is: hospitalist • \HOSS-pih-tuh-list\ • noun : a physician who specializes in treating hospitalized patients of other physicians in order to minimize the number of hospital visits by other physicians Examples: Naomi worried that as a hospitalist she would have to work harder to achieve personalized relationships with her patients. Did you know? "Hospitalist" refers to what is rapidly becoming a new specialty in medicine, perhaps due in part to the rise of organized health care. These days, the care that you receive during a hospital stay may be coordinated and monitored by a doctor who is not your regular doctor or the referring physician. The word "hospitalist" itself first appeared in print in 1996 and derives, of course, from "hospital," which in turn can be traced back to the Medieval Latin "hospitale," meaning "hospice" or "guest house." 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 February 16, 2007 is: grok • \GROCK\ • verb : to understand profoundly and intuitively Examples: No matter how many times I try to explain it, my grandmother just can't grok what a blog is and why anyone would want to read one. Did you know? "Grok" may be the only English word that derives from Martian. Yes, we do mean the language of the planet Mars. No, we're not getting spacey; we've just ventured into the realm of science fiction. "Grok" was introduced in Robert A. Heinlein's 1961 science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land. The book's main character, Valentine Michael Smith, is a Martian-raised human who comes to earth as an adult, bringing with him words from his native tongue and a unique perspective on the strange, strange ways of earthlings. "Grok" was quickly adopted by the youth culture of America and has since peppered the vernacular of those who grok it, from the hippies of the '60s to the computerniks of the '90s. 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 February 15, 2007 is: imprimatur • \im-pruh-MAH-toor\ • noun 1 : a license to print or publish especially by Roman Catholic episcopal authority 2 : sanction, approval Examples: The organization has been meeting on campus without the university's imprimatur. Did you know? "Imprimatur" means "let it be printed" in New Latin. It comes from Latin "imprimere," meaning to "imprint" or "impress." In the 1600s, the word appeared in the front matter of books, accompanied by the name of an official authorizing the book's printing. It was also in the 1600s that English speakers began using "imprimatur" in the general sense of "official approval." The Roman Catholic Church still issues imprimaturs for books concerned with religious matters (to indicate that a work contains nothing offensive to Catholic morals or faith), and there have been other authorities for imprimaturs as well. For example, when Samuel Pepys was president of the Royal Society, he placed his imprimatur on the title page of England's great scientific work, Sir Isaac Newton's Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, in 1687. *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 February 14, 2007 is: Cupid • \KYOO-pid\ • noun : the Roman god of erotic love *2 not capitalized : a figure that represents Cupid as a naked usually winged boy often holding a bow and arrow Examples: Ricco sent Tanya a card covered with roses and cupids on Valentine's Day. Did you know? According to Roman mythology, Cupid was the son of Mercury, the messenger god, and Venus, the goddess of love. In Roman times, the winged "messenger of love" was sometimes depicted in armor, but no one is sure if that was intended as a sarcastic comment on the similarities between warfare and romance, or a reminder that love conquers all. Cupid was generally seen as a good spirit who brought happiness to all, but his matchmaking could cause mischief. Venus wasn't above using her son's power to get revenge on her rivals, and she once plotted to have the beautiful mortal Psyche fall in love with a despicable man. But the plan backfired: Cupid fell in love with Psyche, and she eventually became his immortal wife. *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 February 13, 2007 is: billet-doux • \bill-ee-DOO\ • noun : a love letter Examples: Poor George spent hours laboring over a billet-doux, only to have his girlfriend toss it aside and demand, "Where are my roses?" Did you know? The first recorded use of the French word "billet doux" (literally, "sweet letter") in an English context occurs in John Dryden's 1673 play Marriage a-la-Mode. In the play, Dryden pokes fun at linguistic Francophiles in English society through the comic character Melanthe, who is described by her prospective lover Rodophil as follows: "No lady can be so curious of a new fashion as she is of a new French word; she's the very mint of the nation, and as fast as any bullion comes out of France, coins it immediately into our language." True to form, Melanthe describes Rodophil with the following words: "Let me die, but he's a fine man; he sings and dances en Français, and writes the billets doux to a miracle." 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 February 12, 2007 is: balneology • \bal-nee-AH-luh-jee\ • noun : the science of the therapeutic use of baths Examples: Dori studied balneology in Europe and now applies her knowledge at a spa in California. Did you know? "Sure, the hot water feels good. Sure, the massage is nice. But it goes beyond that, advocates say." So wrote Ellen Creager in an article published on February 18, 2001 in the Detroit Free Press. The healing powers of mineral baths have long been touted by advocates like those mentioned by Creager. Though we've had the word "balneology" for just over 120 years, this method of treating aching muscles, joint pain, and skin ailments goes back to ancient times. Proponents of the science of bath therapy created the name "balneology" from the Latin word "balneum" ("bath") and the combining form "-logy" ("science"). Today, some medical institutes in Europe have departments of balneology. Modern "balneologists" impart their knowledge to, or themselves serve as, "balneotherapists," who apply their "balneotherapy" to grateful clients. 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 February 11, 2007 is: stereotactic • \stair-ee-uh-TAK-tik\ • adjective : involving, being, utilizing, or used in a surgical technique for precisely directing the tip of a delicate instrument (as a needle) or beam of radiation in three planes using coordinates provided by medical imaging in order to reach a specific locus in the body Examples: "Brain surgery without the knife," declared an ad for stereotactic radiosurgery. Did you know? At the beginning of the 20th century, neurosurgeons were experimenting with a technique used to direct the tip of a needle or an electrode in three spatial planes (length, width, and depth) to reach a particular place in the brain. At that time, the word for this technique was "stereotaxic," based on the prefix "stereo-" ("dealing with three dimensions of space") and "taxis" (referring to the manual restoration of a displaced body part). In 1950, "stereotactic" (based on "tactic," meaning "of or relating to touch") joined the medical vocabulary as a synonym of "stereotaxic." Around the same time, a noninvasive neurosurgery technique was developed using beams of radiation. It is this procedure that is now often referred to by "stereotactic" and (less frequently) "stereotaxic." 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 February 10, 2007 is: star-chamber • \STAR-CHAIM-ber\ • adjective : characterized by secrecy and often being irresponsibly arbitrary and oppressive Examples: The new department manager's star-chamber methods -- from closed-door meetings to ultimatums and disastrous snap decisions -- quickly alienated the staff. Did you know? The adjective "star-chamber" comes from the name of a medieval English court that got off to a good start but later lost its luster. Created in the 15th century and flourishing under the reign of Henry VIII, the Court of Star Chamber was initially a popular vehicle for obtaining justice where common-law courts, beset as they were with corruption and bias, failed. The Star Chamber (which apparently took its name from the gilded stars on the ceiling of the room where it met) didn't use a jury, just royal judges, so it was less subject to bribery. But the Star Chamber also lacked many of the safeguards to individual rights provided by common-law procedures and so was readily abused itself. When Charles I started using it to enforce unpopular policies, the Star Chamber acquired a reputation of being oppressive. It was abolished by Parliament in 1641. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.