Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 25, 2013 is: pertain • \per-TAYN\ • verb 1 a : to belong as a part, quality, or function b : to be appropriate to something 2 : to have reference Examples: Maria keeps a journal of news articles that pertain to her interests. "When filing, candidates received copies of the charter and the portion of the code that pertains to elections, said City Clerk Tina Flowers." - From an article by Eileen P. Duggan in South County Times, April 12, 2013 Did you know? "Pertain" comes to us via Anglo-French from the Latin verb "pertinēre," meaning "to reach to" or "to belong." "Pertinēre," in turn, was formed by combining the prefix "per-" (meaning "through") and "tenēre" ("to hold"). "Tenēre" is a popular root in English words and often manifests with the "-tain" spelling that can be seen in "pertain." Other descendants include "abstain," "contain," "detain," "obtain," "maintain," "retain," and "sustain," to name a few of the more common ones. Not every "-tain" word has "tenēre" in its ancestry, though. "Ascertain," "attain," and "certain" are among the exceptions. And a few "tenēre" words don't follow the usual pattern: "tenacious" and "tenure" are two. 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 24, 2013 is: goldbrick • \GOHLD-brik\ • noun 1 a : a worthless brick that looks like gold b : something that appears valuable but is actually worthless 2 : a person who shirks assigned work Examples: Jake is a goldbrick who spends too much time trying to cozy up to the boss instead of finishing his assignments. "History is full of stories of inspirations that come in idle moments and dreams. It almost makes you wonder whether loafers, goldbricks and no-accounts aren't responsible for more of the world's great ideas, inventions and masterpieces than the hardworking." - From an article by Tim Kreider in The New York Times, July 1, 2012 Did you know? "The gold brick swindle is an old one but it crops up constantly," states an 1881 National Police Gazette article referring to the con artist's practice of passing off bricks made of base metal as gold. By the time World War I was under way, the word "goldbrick" was associated with another sort of trickery. The sense of the word meaning "shirker" originated in the slang of the United States Army, where it referred to a soldier who feigned illness or injury in order to get out of work or service. That sense has since expanded in usage to refer to any person who avoids or tries to get out of his or her assignment. 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 23, 2013 is: amalgamate • \uh-MAL-guh-mayt\ • verb : to unite in or as if in a mixture of elements; especially : to merge into a single body Examples: On her latest album, the artist has amalgamated several different styles of music. "Sure enough, in 1999, Congress dutifully went along with Weill's push for repeal, and Wall Street promptly rushed to amalgamate more Citigroups, thus creating the 'too-big-to-fail' system that-only eight years later-did indeed fail." - From an article by Jim Hightower in the Illinois Times (Springfield, Illinois), August 9, 2012 Did you know? The noun "amalgam" derives by way of Middle French from Medieval Latin "amalgama." It was first used in the 15th century with the meaning "a mixture of mercury and another metal." (Today, you are likely to encounter this sense in the field of dentistry; amalgams can be used for filling holes in teeth.) Over time, use of "amalgam" broadened to include any mixture of elements.and by the 18th century the word was also being applied figuratively, as in "an amalgam of citizens." The verb "amalgamate" has been in use since at least 1617. It too can be used either technically, implying the creation of an alloy of mercury, or more generally for the formation of any compound or combined entity. 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 22, 2013 is: canker • \KANK-er\ • verb 1 : to become infested with erosive or spreading sores 2 : to corrupt the spirit of 3 : to become corrupted Examples: "I have never seen any children, only debased imitations of men and women, cankered? by greed and selfishness…." - From Isabella L. Bird’s A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains, 2005 "If you have dead or cankered branches on your trees, disinfect pruning tools between cuts to prevent chances of spreading fire blight bacteria from infected trees." - From an article in the Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), March 13, 2013 Did you know? "Canker" is commonly known as the name for a type of spreading sore that eats into the tissue-a use that obviously furnished the verb with both its medical and figurative senses. The word ultimately traces back to Latin "cancer," which can refer to a crab or a malignant tumor. The Greeks have a similar word, "karkinos," and according to the Ancient Greek physician Galen the tumor got its name from the way the swollen veins surrounding the affected part resembled a crab's limbs. "Cancer" was adopted into Old English, becoming "canker" in Middle English and eventually shifting in meaning to become a general term for ulcerations. "Cancer" itself was reintroduced to English later, first as a zodiacal word and then as a medical term. 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 21, 2013 is: filial • \FIL-ee-ul\ • adjective 1 : of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter 2 : having or assuming the relation of a child or offspring Examples: Margaret's sense of filial responsibility is only part of her motivation for carrying on her parents' business; she also loves the work. "Confucianism, which emphasizes filial piety, has been the bedrock of Korean society for hundreds of years and, historically, older citizens would rely on their children to take care of them." - From an article by Audrey Yoo in Time, March 25, 2013 Did you know? "Filial" is descended from Latin "filius," meaning "son," and "filia," meaning "daughter," and in English (where it has been used since at least the 14th century) it has always applied to both sexes. The word has long carried the dutiful sense "owed to a parent by a child," as found in such phrases as "filial respect" and "filial piety." These days it can also be used more generally for any emotion or behavior of a child to a parent. You might suspect that "filia" is also the source of the word "filly," meaning "a young female horse" or "a young girl," but it isn't. Rather, "filly" is from Old Norse "fylja." 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 20, 2013 is: muliebrity • \myoo-lee-EB-ruh-tee\ • noun : femininity Examples: "She was one of those women who are wanting in-what is the word?-muliebrity." - From H. G. Wells' 1911 novel New Machiavelli "She is a motherly figure, but altogether unlike his mother, motherly in a way that allows too for muliebrity." - From Michael Griffith's 2012 book Bibliophilia: A Novella and Stories Did you know? "Muliebrity" has been used in English to suggest the distinguishing character or qualities of a woman or of womankind since the 16th century. (Its masculine counterpart, "virility," entered the language at about the same time.) "Muliebrity" comes from Latin "mulier," meaning "woman," and probably is a cognate of Latin "mollis," meaning "soft." "Mollis" is also the source of the English verb "mollify"-a word that implies a "softening" of hurt feelings or anger. 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, 2013 is: atone • \uh-TOHN\ • verb 1 : to supply satisfaction for 2 : to make amends Examples: Jamie tried to atone for his teasing of his sister by offering her some of his candy. "For all the redemption songs in recent weeks, Bank of America Corp. still hasn't fully atoned for its mortgage mishaps." - From an article by Adam O'Daniel in Charlotte Business Journal, March 1, 2013 Did you know? "Atone" comes to us from the combination in Middle English of "at" and "on," the latter of which is an old variant of "one." Together they meant "in harmony." (In current English, we use "at one" with a similar suggestion of harmony in such phrases as "at one with nature.") When it first entered English, "atone" meant "to reconcile" and suggested the restoration of a peaceful and harmonious state between people or groups. These days the verb specifically implies addressing the damage (or disharmony) caused by one's own behavior. 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, 2013 is: alameda • \al-uh-MEE-duh\ • noun : a public promenade bordered with trees Examples: "The evening was soft and warm and in the little alameda grackles were settling in the trees and calling to one another."- From Cormac McCarthy's 2005 novel No Country for Old Men "The use of street trees and public gardens in plans for new towns in the late eighteenth century and the creation of alamedas and paseos in most of the larger existing towns reflect the spread of Enlightenment ideas to the colonies from Europe." - From Henry W. Lawrence's 2008 book City Trees: A Historical Geography from the Renaissance Through the Nineteenth Century Did you know? Residents of the American Southwest may remember the "álamo" in "alameda." This "álamo" is not the 18th-century Franciscan mission that was the site of a key battle in the fight for Texas independence, however, but the Spanish name for the poplar tree (the mission, the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, was named for the trees that grew near it). Spanish speakers used "álamo" as the basis for their word "alameda," which can name either a grove of poplars or a tree-lined avenue. English speakers found "alameda" so appropriate for a shady public promenade that they borrowed it as a generic term in the 1700s. And yes, the Spanish "alameda" and nearby poplar trees also contributed to the naming of the city of Alameda, California. 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, 2013 is: litmus test • \LIT-mus-TEST\ • noun : a test in which a single factor (as an attitude, event, or fact) is decisive Examples: For Curtis, the litmus test of good barbeque ribs is whether or not they have that moist fall-off-the-bone quality. "The students who are following the discussion often look uncomfortable at this point, and the moment serves as a litmus test to see who really is paying attention." - From an article by Dolores T. Puterbaugh in USA Today, November 2012 Did you know? It was in the 14th century that scientists discovered that litmus, a mixture of colored organic compounds obtained from lichen, turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions and, thus, can be used as an acid-base indicator. Six centuries later, people began using "litmus test" figuratively. It can now refer to any single factor that establishes the true character of something or causes it to be assigned to one category or another. Often it refers to something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) that can be used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is acceptable or not. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 16, 2013 is: caterwaul • \KAT-er-wawl\ • verb 1 : to make a harsh cry 2 : to protest or complain noisily Examples: The toddler caterwauled loudly when her toy was taken away. "Stockton's leaders clearly calculated that at this point they have little to lose by shortchanging bondholders-its credit rating is already so low that it'd have a hard time financing a used Hyundai with $5,000 down-and that while creditors may sue, complain, and caterwaul, they do not get to vote." - From an article by Kevin D. Williamson in National Review, April 3, 2013 Did you know? An angry (or amorous) cat can make a lot of noise. As long ago as the mid-1300s, English speakers were using "caterwaul" for the act of voicing feline passions. The "cater" part is, of course, connected to the cat, but scholars disagree about whether it traces to Middle Dutch "cāter," meaning "tomcat," or if it is really just "cat" with an "-er" added. The "waul" is probably imitative in origin; it represents the feline howl itself. English's first "caterwaul" was a verb focused on feline vocalizations, but by the 1600s it was also being used for noisy people or things. By the 1700s it had become a noun naming any sound as loud and grating as a tomcat's yowl. 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, 2013 is: down • \DOWN\ • noun 1 : an undulating generally treeless upland with sparse soil - usually used in plural b plural and often capitalized : treeless chalk uplands along the south and southeast coast of England 2 : a sheep of any breed originating in the downs of southern England Examples: She lives in a large estate outside of the village, at the foot of the downs. "They also said that it is increasingly difficult to walk on the Downs as there are cattle grazing and the ground has been 'churned up' and been made slippery by work carried out by the farm." - From an article by Hannah White in the Salisbury Journal (United Kingdom), March 27, 2013 Did you know? Today's word has a number of homographs in English, all of which share etymological kinship to the same Sanskrit origins, though they followed different paths into modern English usage. The "down" we are featuring today can be traced back to Old English "dŪn," which is related to Old Irish "dŪn" ("fortress") and Sanskrit "dhŪnoti" ("he shakes"). The noun "down" that is used for a covering of soft fluffy feathers comes from Old Norse "dŪnn," which is also related to Sanskrit "dhŪnoti." The adverb "down" (and the related preposition, adjective, verb, and noun) used to indicate a lower physical position or direction is from Old English "dŪne," a shortening of "adŪne," itself a combination of "a-" ("from, of, or off") and "dŪne," the dative form of "dŪn" (the Old English ancestor of today's word). 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, 2013 is: requite • \rih-KWYTE\ • verb 1 a : to make return for : repay b : to make retaliation for : avenge 2 : to make suitable return to for a benefit or service or for an injury Examples: Beautiful but malevolent, Maude requited Sydney's love with scorn and treachery. "Odds are that O’Brien's flare-up of romantic love for Amanda won't be requited." - From a movie review by John Wirt in The Advocate (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), November 16, 2012 Did you know? You might be familiar with the phrase "unrequited love." Love that has not been requited is love that has not been returned or paid back in kind, which brings us to the common denominator in the above definitions for "requite"-the idea of repayment, recompense, or retribution. The "quite" in "requite" is a now obsolete English verb meaning "to set free, discharge, or repay." ("Quite" is also related to the English verb "quit," the oldest meanings of which include "to pay up" and "to set free.") "Quiten," the Middle English source of "quite," can be traced back through Anglo-French to Latin "quietus" ("quiet" or "at rest"), a word which is also an ancestor of the English word "quiet." 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, 2013 is: sui generis • \soo-eye-JEN-uh-ris\ • adjective : constituting a class alone : unique, peculiar Examples: Among history's greats, Leonardo da Vinci is often considered sui generis-a man of such stupendous genius that the world may never see his like again. "So let us celebrate the glory that was Elaine Stritch in her prime. For among modern entertainers she is sui generis." - From a review by Stephen Holden in the New York Times, April 4, 2013 Did you know? English contains many terms that ultimately trace back to the Latin forms "gener-" or "genus" (which are variously translated as "birth," "race," "kind," and "class"). Offspring of those roots include "general," "generate," "generous," "generic," "degenerate," and "gender." But "sui generis" is truly a one-of-a-kind "gener-" descendant that English speakers have used for singular things since the late 1600s. Its earliest uses were in scientific contexts, where it identified substances, principles, diseases, and even rocks that were unique or that seemed to be the only representative of their class or group. By the early 1900s, however, "sui generis" had expanded beyond solely scientific contexts, and it is now used more generally for anything that stands alone. 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, 2013 is: sesquipedalian • \sess-kwuh-puh-DAIL-yun\ • adjective 1 : having many syllables : long 2 : using long words Examples: Jacob's editor advised him to do away with much of the sesquipedalian prose he favored and opt for simpler words that would reach readers of all ages and backgrounds. "'You just don't see that many sesquipedalian writers like William F. Buckley Jr. in the media anymore,' said a colleague to whom I mentioned this topic." - From an article by Mary Schmich in the Chicago Tribune, December 5, 2012 Did you know? Horace, the Roman poet known for his satire, was merely being gently ironic when he cautioned young poets against using "sesquipedalia verba"-"words a foot and a half long"-in his book Ars poetica, a collection of maxims about writing. But in the 17th century, English literary critics decided the word "sesquipedalian" could be very useful for lambasting writers using unnecessarily long words. Robert Southey used it to make two jibes at once when he wrote "the verses of [16th-century English poet] Stephen Hawes are as full of barbarous sesquipedalian Latinisms, as the prose of [the 18th-century periodical] the Rambler." The Latin prefix "sesqui-" is used in modern English to mean "one and a half times," as in "sesquicentennial" (a 150th anniversary). 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, 2013 is: usurp • \yoo-SERP\ • verb : to seize and hold by force or without right Examples: In her first managerial position, Hannah was hesitant to delegate critical tasks for fear that a subordinate might usurp her position. "There's a reason James Madison wrote the Constitution the way he did with a 'Separation of Powers' doctrine. That doctrine ensures the three branches of government cannot usurp one another's powers or responsibilities, thus creating a 'checks and balances' system to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful." - From an opinion piece by Jeffrey Scott Shapiro in The Washington Post, April 18, 2013 Did you know? "Usurp" was borrowed into English in the 14th century from the Anglo-French word "usorper," which in turn derives from the Latin verb "usurpare," meaning "to take possession of without a legal claim." "Usurpare" itself was formed by combining "usu" (a form of "usus," meaning "use") and "rapere" ("to seize"). Other descendants of "rapere" in English include "rapacious" ("given to seizing or extorting what is coveted"), "rapine" ("the seizing and carrying away of things by force"), "rapt" (the earliest sense of which is "lifted up and carried away"), and "ravish" ("to seize and take away by violence"). 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, 2013 is: fountainhead • \FOUN-tun-hed\ • noun 1 : a spring that is the source of a stream 2 : principal source : origin Examples: Rachel considers Aristotle's Poetics to be the fountainhead of modern art criticism. "Everyone sometimes daydreams like a scientist. Ramped up and disciplined, fantasies are the fountainhead of all creative thinking. Newton dreamed, Darwin dreamed, you dream." - From an article by E. O. Wilson in The Wall Street Journal, April 6, 2013 Did you know? When it first entered English in the late 1500s, "fountainhead" was used only in a literal sense-to refer to the source of a stream. By the early 1600s, however, it was already beginning to be used figuratively in reference to any original or primary source. In his 1854 work Walden, Henry David Thoreau used the word in its figurative sense, while paying full homage to its literal meaning as well: "Morning air! If men will not drink of this at the fountainhead of the day, why, then, we must even bottle up some and sell it in the shops, for the benefit of those who have lost their subscription ticket to morning time in this world." 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, 2013 is: decussate • \DEK-uh-sayt\ • verb : to intersect or cross Examples: The illustration on page 34 of your textbook shows how the optic nerves decussate. "The fibers of the lateral spinothalamic tract decussate one or two levels above or below where the injury may occur…." - From an article by Kim Boswell, MD, and Jay Menaker, MD, in Trauma Reports, January 1, 2013 Did you know? The history of "decussate" leads us back to the intersection of "decem," a word meaning "ten," and "ass-," a form that refers to a unit of weight and specifically to a copper coin cut to a half-ounce. In the Roman numeral system the number 10 is represented by X, an intersection of two lines. A man named Sir Thomas Browne coined "decussate" in the 17th century to discuss the crossing fibers that make up human anatomy-for instance, skin tissue. The word continues to be found primarily in scientific contexts 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 May 8, 2013 is: diseuse • \dee-ZOOZ\ • noun : a woman who is a skilled and usually professional reciter Examples: "I say 'chanteuse' but this is by courtesy, for she was more of a diseuse to begin with, speaking her songs…." - From Paul Johnson's 2010 book Humorists: From Hogarth to Noel Coward "At Jurowski's insistence, the cast represented a spectrum of singers from opera to cabaret. So coloratura soprano and contemporary music singer Alison Bell, slinky cabaret diseuse Meow Meow, and [bel canto](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bel canto) soprano Gabriela Istoc were the women fighting for the affections of Mark Padmore's brutally charismatic Macheath." - From a theater review by Tim Ashley in The Guardian (London), March 4, 2013 Did you know? The American actress Ruth Draper (1884-1956) was known for her character-driven monologues and theatrical sketches, portraying some 58 different characters utilizing a range of languages and dialects. A comparable entertainer today might be labeled a performance artist, but a term that emerged during Draper's lifetime was "diseuse." Broadly, a diseuse is a professional female reciter, though often the word is used specifically to refer to one who recites verse or other text to music. (A male reciter would be a diseur, but that word is rare in English.) Both "diseuse" and "diseur" derive from Old French "dire" ("to say") and ultimately from the Latin verb "dicere." 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, 2013 is: fustigate • \FUSS-tuh-gayt\ • verb 1 : to beat with or as if with a short heavy club 2 : to criticize severely Examples: "Hernandez missed most of the preseason practices because of an ankle sprain, and he fustigated himself for committing seven turnovers." - From an article by Jorge L. Ortiz in The San Francisco Chronicle, November 20, 2004 "Coulter is known widely for her propensity to fustigate the likes of environmentalists, atheists and Bush-bashers." - Rachel Davis, Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville), March 10, 2007 Did you know? Though it won't leave a bump on your head, severe criticism can be a blow to your self-esteem. It's no wonder that "fustigate," when it first appeared in the 17th century, originally meant "to cudgel or beat with a short heavy stick," a sense that reflects the word's derivation from the Latin noun "fustis," which means "club" or "staff." The "criticize" sense is more common these days, but the violent use of "fustigate" was a hit with earlier writers like George Huddesford, who in 1801 told of an angry Jove who "cudgell'd all the constellations, ... / Swore he'd eject the man i' the moon ... / And fustigate him round his orbit." 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, 2013 is: troglodyte • \TRAH-gluh-dyte\ • noun 1 : a member of any of various peoples (as in antiquity) who lived or were reputed to live chiefly in caves 2 : a person characterized by reclusive habits or outmoded or reactionary attitudes Examples: "At the end of the valley, as John Bunyan mentions, is a cavern, where, in his days, dwelt two cruel giants, Pope and Pagan, who had strown the ground about their residence with the bones of slaughtered pilgrims. These vile old troglodytes are no longer there.…" - From Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "The Celestial Railroad," 1843. "I am not on any social media, don't tweet, don't blog, don't text, have no Facebook page; connected only by the umbilical tether of email. Guess that makes me a troglodyte." - From a column by Rosie DiManno in The Toronto Star, November 23, 2012 Did you know? Peer into the etymological cave of "troglodyte" and you’ll find a "trōglē." But don't be afraid. "Trōglē" may sound like a scary cave-dwelling ogre, but it's actually just a perfectly unintimidating Greek root that means "hole" or "cave." Is "troglodyte" the only English word to have descended from "trōglē"? Not exactly. "Troglodyte" and its related adjective "troglodytic" (meaning "of, related to, or being a troglodyte") are the only "trōglē" offspring that are widely used in general English contexts, but another "trōglē" progeny, the prefix "troglo-," meaning "cave-dwelling," is used in scientific contexts to form words like "troglobiont" ("an animal living in or restricted to caves"). 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, 2013 is: fathom • \FA-thum\ • verb 1 : to measure by a sounding line 2 : probe 3 : to penetrate and come to understand Examples: Even those close to him couldn't always fathom why he repeatedly risked his life to climb the world's tallest mountains. "Just what's in the mind of the North Koreans is hard for outsiders to fathom." - From an article by Wesley Pruden in The Washington Times, April 2, 2013 Did you know? Today's word comes to us from Old English "fæthm," meaning "outstretched arms." The noun "fathom," which now commonly refers to a measure (especially of depth) of six feet, was originally used for the distance, fingertip to fingertip, created by stretching one's arms straight out from the sides of the body. In one of its earliest uses, the verb "fathom" meant to encircle something with the arms as if for measuring and was also a synonym for "embrace." In the 1600s, however, "fathom" took on the meaning of using a sounding line to measure depth. At the same time, the verb also developed senses synonymous with "probe" or "investigate," and is now frequently used to refer to the act of getting to the bottom of something (figuratively speaking). 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, 2013 is: exiguous • \ig-ZIG-yuh-wus\ • adjective : excessively scanty : inadequate Examples: New computer equipment would be prohibitively expensive, given the rural school's exiguous resources. "The president got his tax increases; not only on the wealthy but also by raising the payroll tax that most affects ordinary Americans. Meaningful spending cuts, however, were so exiguous that they can't count for anything more than window dressing." - From a column by Phil Guarnieri in the New Hyde Park Illustrated News (New Hyde Park, New York), March 8, 2013 Did you know? "Exiguous" is so expansive sounding that you might expect it to mean "extensive" instead of "meager." Even a scanty glimpse at the word's etymology will disabuse you of that notion, however. "Exiguous" derives from the Latin "exiguus," which has the same basic meaning as the modern English term. "Exiguus," in turn, derives from the Latin verb "exigere," which is variously translated as "to demand," "to drive out," or "to weigh or measure." The idea of weighing or measuring so precisely as to be parsimonious or petty gave "exiguous" its present sense of inadequacy. Just so we aren't accused of being skimpy with the details, we should also mention that "exigere" is the parent term underlying other English words including "exact" and "exigent." 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, 2013 is: redaction • \rih-DAK-shun\ • noun 1 a : an act or instance of preparing something for publication b : an act or instance of obscuring or removing something from a document prior to publication or release 2 : edition, version Examples: The editor defended the redaction of the victims' names from the news article by explaining that their families had yet to be notified of their deaths. "The government might have to make the findings and evidence public, with the fewest redactions needed to protect sources." - From an article by Peter H. Schuck in the Los Angeles Times, February 17, 2013 Did you know? Here's a quiz for all you etymology buffs. Can you pick the words from the following list that come from the same Latin root? A. redaction B. prodigal C. agent D. essay E. navigate F. ambiguous 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, 2013 is: berceuse • \bair-SOOZ\ • noun 1 : a musical composition usually in 6/8 time that resembles a lullaby 2 : lullaby Examples: "After the equally calming signature tune, the berceuse from Faure's Dolly Suite, Oxenford and the other presenters began the programme with a question that became a catchphrase: 'Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.'" - From an obituary for Daphne Oxenford by Richard Anthony Baker in The Stage (London), January 17, 2013 "David Starobin, a classical guitarist who had contributed the colorful, mildly dissonant 'Berceuse Bas de Gamme' ('Cheap Lullaby'), and who runs Bridge Records, offered to release the set." - From an article by Allan Kozinn in the New York Times, April 2, 2013 Did you know? The lullaby is a standard of classical music. German composer Johannes Brahms is perhaps best known for his "Wiegenlied: Guten Abend, gute Nacht" ("Good evening, good night"), Op. 49, No. 4, published in 1868, purportedly written for a friend to celebrate the birth of her son. Compositionally, a berceuse is similar to a lullaby, particularly in its soothing refrain often set to a rocking rhythm usually in 6/8 time. Among the earliest examples of works known by that name is Frédéric Chopin's Berceuse in D-flat Major (1843-44), written for piano; Franz Liszt, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Maurice Ravel also composed berceuses. The word "berceuse" is indicative of its use as an aid to sleep-it derives from the French "bercer" ("to rock") and ultimately from the Old French "bers" ("cradle"). 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, 2013 is: vernal • \VER-nul\ • adjective 1 : of, relating to, or occurring in the spring 2 : fresh or new like the spring; also : youthful Examples: This time of the year, I enjoy getting out for morning walks to take in the crisp, clean vernal air. "Spend the morning learning about aquatic life found in vernal pools. Vernal pools may be dry in summer, but in the spring they are filled with life-sustaining water. This is when the peepers and wood frogs start croaking, and salamanders arrive under cover of rain and darkness to breed." - From an article by David Colberg in The Hartford (Connecticut) Courant, April 3, 2013 Did you know? If you want to sound sophisticated this spring, you can do what various learned individuals have done since the 16th century and refer to the spring equinox as the vernal equinox. You might also alter a classic rhyme to chant "Vernal showers bring May flowers." Or if you really want to wax poetic, you could compliment your lass's vernal grace or your beau's vernal charm. If you do, and your sweetheart asks where such a word comes from, you can further impress by saying, "'Vernal,' my dear, comes from the Latin 'vernalis,' which is derived from the Latin word for spring, 'ver.'" 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, 2013 is: verbose • \ver-BOHSS\ • adjective 1 : containing more words than necessary : wordy; also : impaired by wordiness 2 : given to wordiness Examples: The writing style in government publications is often both dry and verbose-a deadly combination. "The 50,000-word goal, for example, can make even the most succinct writers verbose. Why be satisfied with a prissy dog when you can have a tiny white prissy dog with a pink ribbon around her neck and add an additional nine words to your novel?" - From an article by Dana Sachs in Publisher's Weekly, November 30, 2012 Did you know? There's no shortage of words to describe wordiness in English. "Diffuse," "long-winded," "prolix," "redundant," "windy," "repetitive," "loose," "rambling," "digressive," and "circumlocutory" are some that come to mind. Want to express the opposite idea? Try "succinct," "concise," "brief," "short," "summary," "terse," "precise," "compact," "lean," "tight," or "compendious." "Verbose," which falls solidly into the first camp of words, comes from Latin "verbosus," from "verbum," meaning "word." Other descendants of "verbum" include "verb," "adverb," "proverb," "verbal," and "verbicide" (that's the deliberate distortion of the sense of a word). 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, 2013 is: ceorl • \CHAY-orl\ • noun : a freeman of the lowest rank in Anglo-Saxon England Examples: "The most prominent ranks were the king, the nobleman or thegn, and the ordinary freeman or ceorl." - From an article in the Eastern Daily Press (Norfolk, England), October 11, 2012 "The status of a ceorl in relation to the nobility above him and the serfs beneath him can best be seen in the amount of his wergild…." - From Peter Blair Hunter's 1956 book An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England Did you know? In Old English, "ceorl" referred to freemen who ranked above the servile classes but below the nobility. In this sense, "ceorl" is now primarily encountered in historical writings where, to this day, it has maintained its Old English spelling. The word also evolved, however, into a form that will be more familiar to most English speakers today. In Middle English, "ceorl" took on the spelling "churl" (among others), and with that variant spelling it began to develop disparaging senses by the early 14th century. "Churl" can still be used to refer to the historical rank of ceorl or as a general term for a medieval peasant, but it is now primarily encountered in the senses of "a rude ill-bred person" or "a stingy morose person." 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, 2013 is: persnickety • \per-SNIK-uh-tee\ • adjective 1 a : fussy about small details : fastidious b : having the characteristics of a snob 2 : requiring great precision Examples: I love my friend Emma, but I also know how persnickety she can be, so I removed the grocery store cake from its plastic container and brought it to her party on a fancy plate. "Traditionally, people have been a bit harsh on lexicographers, painting us as persnickety, nerdy, obsessive-compulsive types. And I don't think we're quite that bad." - From an article by Sarah Ogilvie in The San Francisco Chronicle, December 11, 2012 Did you know? Persnickety people like things neat and tidy, but the etymology of "persnickety" doesn't provide the kind of clean, clear explanation that appeals to the fastidious. "Persnickety" was first documented in English in 1892 as an alteration of "pernickety," a word that has the same meaning. "Pernickety" goes back to the early 1800s, but from there, the word's "history" gets messy. Some say "pernickety" might be from a child's version of "particular"; others, that the "nick" part came from association with "knick-knack." Or perhaps the Latin prefix "per-," meaning "thoroughly," played a role. But it's all pure conjecture-no one knows for sure. 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, 2013 is: emblem • \EM-blum\ • noun 1 : a picture with a motto or set of verses intended as a moral lesson 2 : an object or the figure of an object symbolizing and suggesting another object or an idea 3 a : a symbolic object used as a heraldic device b : a device, symbol, or figure adopted and used as an identifying mark Examples: "The picture, changed or unchanged, would be to him the visible emblem of conscience." - From Oscar Wilde's 1891 novel The Picture of Dorian Gray "For their wins at the region level, both Ocana and Martinez got medals with each region school's emblem on the design…." - From an article by Lindsey Derrick in The Daily Citizen (Dalton, Georgia), April 1, 2013 Did you know? Both "emblem" and its synonym "symbol" trace back to the Greek verb "ballein," meaning "to throw." "Emblem" arose from "emballein," meaning "to insert," while "symbol" comes from "symballein," Greek for "to throw together." "Ballein" is also an ancestor of the words "parable" (from "paraballein," "to compare"), "metabolism" (from "metaballein," "to change"), and "problem" (from "proballein," "to throw forward"). Another (somewhat surprising) "ballein" descendant is "devil," which comes from Greek "diabolos," literally meaning "slanderer." "Diabolos" in turn comes from "diaballein," meaning "to throw across" or "to slander." 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, 2013 is: decimate • \DESS-uh-mayt\ • verb 1 : to select by lot and kill every tenth man of 2 : to exact a tax of 10 percent from 3 a : to reduce drastically especially in number b : to cause great destruction or harm to Examples: Budget cuts have decimated public services in many towns and cities throughout the state. "Disease, habitat destruction and overharvesting have already decimated the oyster population in the Chesapeake Bay." - From an article in The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), April 10, 2013 Did you know? The connection between "decimate" and the number ten harks back to a brutal practice of the army of ancient Rome. A unit that was guilty of a severe crime (such as mutiny) was punished by selecting and executing one-tenth of its soldiers, thereby scaring the remaining nine-tenths into obedience. It's no surprise that the word for this practice came from Latin "decem," meaning "ten." From this root we also get our word "decimal" and the name of the month of December, originally the tenth month of the calendar before the second king of Rome decided to add January and February. In its extended uses "decimate" strayed from its "tenth" meaning and nowadays refers to the act of destroying or hurting something in great numbers. 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, 2013 is: force majeure • \forss-mah-ZHUR\ • noun 1 : superior or irresistible force 2 : an event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled Examples: "The [railway] line, which connects the northern Tete province with the coast, was shut on Feb. 12 after heavy rains and a derailment, forcing several cases of force majeure on a number of coal shipment contracts." - From an article on Reuters.com, March 4, 2013 "Those Mets of the late eighties and early nineties were a powerful presence in the city, a celebrity force majeure, but they were always a little short on the field." - From an article by Roger Angell in The New Yorker, May 20, 1996 Did you know? "Force majeure" translates literally from French as "superior force." In English, the term is often used in line with its literal French meaning, but it has other uses as well, including one that has roots in a principle of French law. In business circles, "force majeure" describes those uncontrollable events (such as war, labor stoppages, or extreme weather) that are not the fault of any party and that make it difficult or impossible to carry out normal business. A company may insert a force majeure clause into a contract to absolve itself from liability in the event it cannot fulfill the terms of a contract (or if attempting to do so will result in loss or damage of goods) for reasons beyond its control. 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, 2013 is: occlusion • \uh-KLOO-zhun\ • noun 1 : a shutting off or obstruction of something 2 : the coming together of the surfaces of the upper and lower teeth 3 : the front formed by a cold front overtaking a warm front and lifting the warm air above the earth's surface Examples: Heart attacks result from the occlusion of blood supply to a part of the heart. "Three days before Thanksgiving 2011, Marilyn Mathern experienced a small blood clot, or retinal occlusion, in her eye." - From an article by Briana Wipf in the Great Falls Tribune (Montana), February 26, 2013 Did you know? "Occlusion" is a descendant of the Latin verb "occludere," meaning "to close up." "Occludere" in turn comes from the prefix "ob-," here meaning "in the way," and the verb "claudere," meaning "to close or shut." "Occlusion" is one of many English terms derived from "claudere." Some others are "recluse," "seclusion," and "exclude." An occlusion occurs when something has been closed up or blocked off. Almost all heart attacks are the result of the occlusion of a coronary (heart) artery by a blood clot. When a person's upper and lower teeth form a "malocclusion," they close incorrectly or badly. An occlusion, or occluded front, happens when a fast-moving cold front overtakes a slow-moving warm front and slides underneath it, lifting the warm air and blocking its movement. 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, 2013 is: lamia • \LAY-mee-uh\ • noun : a female demon Examples: In this campy horror film, the men of a college campus are attacked and killed by a seductive lamia who slips into their dorm rooms at night. "She finds herself plagued by visions of a dreadful lamia, a man-eating monster that's half woman, half serpent." - From a book review on Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2013 Did you know? According to Greek mythology, Lamia was a queen of Libya who was beloved by Zeus. When Hera, Zeus's wife, robbed Lamia of her children from this union, Lamia killed every child she could get into her power. Stories were also told of a fiend named Lamia who, in the form of a beautiful woman, seduced young men in order to devour them and who also sucked the blood of children. Such nightmarish legends compelled poet John Keats, and many other writers before and after him, to write their own tales of Lamia, which still haunt and terrify those souls who dare read them. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 22, 2013 is: transpire • \tran-SPYRE\ • 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. "The Battle of Lexington Green transpired this morning as it always does. The British regulars advanced, a lopsided battle broke out, eight Minutemen died, the British marched on - and thousands of spectators, their heads full of history, headed to pancake breakfasts at surrounding churches." - From an article by Joshua Miller in The Boston Globe, April 15, 2013 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. 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, 2013 is: demulcent • \dih-MULL-sunt\ • adjective : soothing Examples: Honey has a demulcent property that is thought to be effective in relieving sore throats and coughs. "Chickweed (Stellaria media) has a demulcent effect on the stomach, which can help to suppress appetite when prepared as tea." - From an article by Barbara Fahs in Big Island Weekly (Hilo, Hawaii), January 2, 2013 Did you know? "Demulcent" derives from the Latin verb "demulcēre," meaning "to soothe." "Demulcēre" in turn comes from a combination of the prefix "de-" and "mulcēre," an earlier verb that also means "to soothe." As an adjective, "demulcent" often applies to the soothing nature of some medicines, but you can also use it to describe such things as a soothing voice or a soothing demeanor. The noun "demulcent" is used for a gelatinous or oily substance that is capable of soothing inflamed or abraded mucous membranes and protecting them from further irritation. 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, 2013 is: xenophobia • \zen-uh-FOH-bee-uh\ • noun : fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign Examples: "A Labour MP has been accused of xenophobia after complaining about the Polish staff who served him a disappointing bacon sandwich." - From an article in The Telegraph (London), April 25, 2012 "A few counterexamples raise doubts: the downturn in immigration during World War I due to the interruption of transatlantic ship traffic and the mobilization of many young Europeans for the war did not lead to a decline in stereotypes and prejudice; in fact, the wartime period and the few years afterward produced some of the worst xenophobia the United States has ever seen." - From Richard Alba's 2012 book Blurring the Color Line Did you know? If you look back to the ancient Greek terms that underlie the word "xenophobia," you'll discover that xenophobic individuals are literally "stranger fearing." "Xenophobia," that elegant-sounding name for an aversion to persons unfamiliar, ultimately derives from two Greek terms: "xenos," which can be translated as either "stranger" or "guest," and "phobos," which means either "fear" or "flight." "Phobos" is the ultimate source of all English "-phobia" terms, but many of those were actually coined in English or New Latin using the combining form "-phobia" (which traces back to "phobos"). "Xenophobia" itself came to us by way of New Latin and first appeared in print in English in 1903. 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, 2013 is: admonish • \ad-MAH-nish\ • verb 1 a : to indicate duties or obligations to b : to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner 2 : to give friendly earnest advice or encouragement to Examples: The teacher admonished Jenny not to run in the hallways. "A struggling backup goaltender will stand up in the locker room during the intermission of a game in which he isn't playing, and he'll admonish his teammates to, essentially, stop being so stupid with the puck." - From an article by Dejan Kovacevic in TribLive, March 17, 2013 Did you know? We won't admonish you if you don't know the origins of today's word-its current meanings have strayed slightly from its history. "Admonish" was borrowed in the 14th century (via Anglo-French) from Vulgar Latin "admonestare," which is itself an alteration of the Latin verb "admonēre," meaning "to warn." "Admonēre," in turn, was formed by the combination of the prefix "ad-" and "monēre," "to warn." Other descendants of "monēre" in English include "monitor," "monitory" ("giving a warning"), "premonition," and even a now archaic synonym of "admonish," "monish." Incidentally, "admonish" has a number of other synonyms as well, including "reprove," "rebuke," "reprimand," "reproach," and "chide." 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, 2013 is: milieu • \meel-YOO\ • 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. "Setting his shows in a theatrical milieu, he provides characters with huge egos and over-dramatic desires and passions." - From a theater review by Jay Handelman in the Sarasota Herald Tribune (Florida), March 31, 2013 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 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 April 17, 2013 is: surd • \SERD\ • adjective 1 : lacking sense : irrational 2 : voiceless - used of speech sounds Examples: The artist is known for creating videos in which well-known speeches with surd utterances scattered throughout are recited by everyday people. "While the grandparents might scratch their heads at the Star Wars references, the actors and perhaps some younger parents likely delighted in [the] manic, jumbled and surd structure of the play." - From a review by Patrick Clement in Kiowa County Signal (Greensburg, Kansas), January 23, 2013 Did you know? Both "surd" and its more common cousin "absurd" come from the Latin word "surdus," meaning "unhearing, deaf, muffled, or dull." "Absurd" traveled through Middle French before arriving in English in the early 16th century. Its arrival preceded by a few decades the adoption of the noun version of our featured word directly from Latin, which referred to an irrational root, such as √3. By the early 17th century "surd" had gained a more general application as the adjective featured in the example sentences above. In sense 2, the adjective describes speech sounds that are not voiced-for example, the \p\ sound, as opposed to the voiced \b. 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, 2013 is: verbiage • \VER-bee-ij\ • noun 1 : a profusion of words usually of little or obscure content 2 : manner of expressing oneself in words : diction Examples: The newspaper editor said that he would have to reduce the verbiage of Earl's letter before he could publish it. "With legislation being so protracted and containing so much confusing verbiage, is it any wonder that Congress's approval rating is currently around 15 percent?" - From an article by Richard F. (Buz) Williams in The Daily Courier (Prescott, Arizona), March 20, 2013 Did you know? "Verbiage" descends from Middle French "verbier" ("to chatter"), itself an offspring of "werbler," an Old French word meaning "to trill." The usual sense of the word implies an overabundance of possibly unnecessary words. It is similar to "wordiness," except that it stresses the superfluous words themselves more than the quality that produces them. In other words, a writer with a fondness for "verbiage" might be accused of "wordiness." Some people think the phrase "excess verbiage" is redundant, but that's not necessarily true. In the early 19th century, "verbiage" developed a second sense meaning, simply, "wording," with no suggestion of excess. This second definition has sometimes been treated as an error by people who insist that "verbiage" must always imply excessiveness, but that sense is well-established and can be considered standard. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 15, 2013 is: heinous • \HAY-nus\ • adjective : hatefully or shockingly evil : abominable Examples: The former dictator will have to stand trial for the role he played in his government's heinous treatment of political dissidents. "Oz so immediately takes to his new surroundings that he never once stops to question the giant, orchidlike flowers, spiraling rock formations or heinous flying baboons…." - From a movie review by Pier Marchant in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 8, 2013 Did you know? Humans have contrasted love with hate and good with evil for eons, putting love and good on one side and hate and evil on the other. The etymology of "heinous" reflects the association of hate with that which is evil or horrible. During the 14th century, English borrowed "heinous" from the Middle French "haine," meaning "hate." Over time English speakers came to use the word to reflect the sense of horror evoked by intense hatred. 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, 2013 is: Mirandize • \muh-RAN-dyze\ • verb : to recite the Miranda warnings to (a person under arrest) Examples: In accordance with police procedures, the officers had to Mirandize the suspect to make sure that he was aware of his rights. "According to the website, Heller's motion is baseless as there was no need for police to Mirandize the actress since she wasn't in their custody, and it's 'perfectly legal to question people involved in a car accident without reading them their rights.'" - From an article at The Huffington Post, February 26, 2013 Did you know? "You have the right to remain silent...." These seven words typically begin the notification that police recite to inform a suspect of his or her rights while in custody. The law requiring this recitation stemmed from a 1966 U.S. Supreme Court decision (Miranda v. Arizona) in which the court overturned the conviction of Ernesto A. Miranda on charges of rape and kidnapping. The court had determined that Miranda confessed to the crime without being informed that he could remain silent during questioning. The list of rights that must be recited to a suspect in custody subsequently became known as "the Miranda warnings." And in the 1980s, the verb "Mirandize" began appearing in print. 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, 2013 is: contentious • \kun-TEN-shuss\ • adjective 1 : likely to cause disagreement or argument 2 : exhibiting an often perverse and wearisome tendency to quarrels and disputes Examples: Although she is very pleasant in person, Katie has a tendency to become aggressive and contentious in online discussions. "The issue of affordable housing in New Jersey, one of the nation's most densely populated states, has been contentious for decades…." - From an article by Anthony Campisi, The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey), January 28, 2013 Did you know? "Contentious" ultimately derives from the Latin verb "contendere," meaning "to strive" or "to contend." But we won't make you work hard for (or argue about) synonyms for "contentious." "Belligerent," "bellicose," "pugnacious," and "quarrelsome" can all be used, in addition to "contentious," when you want to express that someone or something has an aggressive or fighting attitude. "Contentious" implies a perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling, whereas "belligerent" often suggests being actually at war or engaged in hostilities ("belligerent nations"). "Bellicose" implies a disposition to fight ("a drunk in a bellicose mood"). "Pugnacious" suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat ("a pugnacious gangster"). "Quarrelsome" stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause ("the heat made us all quarrelsome"). 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, 2013 is: nepenthe • \nuh-PENTH-ee\ • noun 1 : a potion used by the ancients to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow 2 : something capable of causing oblivion of grief or suffering Examples: "Once barely sipping at wines, cocktails, brandy-and-soda, she now took to the latter…. The old nepenthe of the bottle had seized upon her." - From Theodore Dreiser's 1914 novel The Titan "All your waiting around for something good to happen to you has paid off. No need to question how you got here. Drink the nepenthe and forget all your miserable history." - From an essay by Dan Gillis in 34th Street Magazine (University of Pennsylvania), February 21, 2013 Did you know? "Nepenthe" and its ancestors have long been popular with poets. Homer used the Greek grandparent of "nepenthe" in a way many believe is a reference to opium. The term was a tonic to Edmund Spenser, who wrote, "In her other hand a cup she hild, The which was this Nepenthe to the brim upfild." Edgar Allan Poe sought to "Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore." The term is an alteration of the Latin "nepenthes," which is itself descended from the Greek prefix "n -," meaning "not," plus "penthos," meaning "grief" or "sorrow." English writers have been plying the word "nepenthe" since the 16th 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 April 11, 2013 is: indissoluble • \in-dih-SAHL-yuh-bul\ • adjective : incapable of being dissolved or disintegrated; especially : incapable of being annulled, undone, or broken : permanent Examples: The minister contended that matrimony is a bond that is indissoluble in the eyes of God. "At a news conference to present the message, Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, which promotes Catholic charitable giving, told reporters, that insisting on the indissoluble link between faith and charity is like 'hitting a raw nerve.'" - From an article in The Catholic Standard, February 12, 2013 Did you know? "Indissoluble" entered the English language close on the heels of its antonym "dissoluble" ("capable of being dissolved"). "Dissoluble" (from Latin "dissolubilis") first appeared in print in 1534, and "indissoluble" (with its "in-" prefix) followed in 1542. "Dissolubilis" derives from "dissolvere" ("to loosen" or "to dissolve"), which in turn comes from "dis-" ("apart") and "solvere" ("to loosen"). Not surprisingly, "dissolvere" is also the source of "dissolve" and "dissolvable," among other words. Is there an "indissolvable"? Yes and no. It exists, but it is archaic and rare. The word most likely to be used for things that cannot be dissolved in a liquid is "insoluble." "Indissoluble" generally refers to abstract entities, such as promises or treaties, that cannot be dissolved. 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, 2013 is: kiln • \KILN\ • noun : an oven, furnace, or heated enclosure used for processing a substance by burning, firing, or drying Examples: Now that the school has purchased a new kiln, it can offer more courses in ceramics. "Neither thin nor delicate, clinker brick is the Marlon Brando of masonry: misshapen, blackened in the kiln, historically regarded as trash by brickmakers." - From an article by Christopher Gray in The New York Times, March 10, 2013 Did you know? "Kiln" has been a part of the English language for over 1,000 years, its first known use in Old English (as "cyline") dating back to the early 700s. Unlike many words that descend from Old English, however, "kiln" is not ultimately Germanic in origin but was borrowed from Latin "culina," meaning "kitchen," an ancestor of the English word "culinary." In the 14th century, speakers of Middle English began to drop the "n" at the end of the word, and even to this day some English speakers pronounce "kiln" so that it rhymes with "mill." In fact, like "kiln," "mill" (from Late Latin "molina") was originally spelled and pronounced with a terminal "n." Unlike "mill," however, "kiln" has retained the final "n" in spelling, if not always in 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 April 9, 2013 is: doxology • \dahk-SAH-luh-jee\ • noun : a usually liturgical expression of praise to God Examples: The church service typically concludes with the congregation singing a short doxology. "A doxology, with impromptu four-part harmony, concluded a prayer prior to a dinner that followed the Mass." - From an article by Gretchen R. Crowe in the Arlington Catholic Herald, September 26, 2012 Did you know? "Doxology" passed into English from Medieval Latin "doxologia," which in turn comes from the Greek term "doxa," meaning "opinion" or "glory," and the suffix "-logia," which refers to oral or written expression. It's logical enough, therefore, that "doxology" has referred to an oral expression of praise and glorification since it first appeared in English around 1645. The word ultimately derives from the Greek verb "dokein," meaning "to seem" or "to seem good." Two cousins of "doxology" via "dokein" are "dogma" and "paradox." More distant relatives include "decent" and "synecdoche." The Gloria in Excelsis and the Gloria Patri are two of the best-known and most often sung doxologies in contemporary Christianity. 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, 2013 is: convalesce • \kahn-vuh-LESS\ • verb : to recover health and strength gradually after sickness or weakness Examples: According to the article, the athlete is still convalescing from her recent injury but expects to resume her training schedule by the end of the month. "Kenyon … was 8 years old when he was struck [by a car]. He had to limit his activities to the quiet kind, so his parents figured piano lessons would give him something to do while he convalesced." - From an article by Charles Hand in the San Diego Union-Tribune, February 24, 2013 Did you know? When you convalesce, you heal or grow strong after illness or injury, often by staying off your feet. (The related adjective "convalescent" means "recovering from sickness or debility," and a "convalescent home" is a hospital for long-term recuperation and rehabilitation.) The word "convalesce" derives from Latin, from the prefix "com-" ("with, together, jointly") and the verb "valescere" ("to grow strong"). "Valescere," in turn, is related to the verb "valēre" ("to be strong or be well"), which is also an ancestor of "prevail," "valor," "value," and "valid." 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, 2013 is: equivocal • \ih-KWIV-uh-kul\ • adjective 1 a : subject to two or more interpretations and usually used to mislead or confuse b : uncertain as an indication or sign 2 a : of uncertain nature or classification b : of uncertain disposition toward a person or thing : undecided c : of doubtful advantage, genuineness, or moral rectitude Examples: Unfortunately, scientists have yet to develop an effective means of early detection for the disease; the tests that are currently available tend to produce equivocal results. "Schneider was equivocal on whether he thought the replacement officials working the game should have ruled the play a catch instead of an interception…." - From an article by Pete Dougherty in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, February 21, 2013 Did you know? "Equivocal," "vague," and "ambiguous" all mean "not clearly understandable" and are used to describe confusing speech or writing. "Equivocal"-which can be traced back to the Latin prefix "aequi-" ("equi-") and the Latin word "vox" ("voice")-applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading ("moral precepts with equivocal phrasing"). "Vague" implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration ("I had only a vague idea of how to get there"). "Ambiguous," like "equivocal," applies to language capable of more than one interpretation but usually does not have the negative connotations of deception or evasion ("the poet's wording is intentionally ambiguous"). 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, 2013 is: gest • \JEST\ • noun 1 : a tale of adventures; especially : a romance in verse 2 : adventure, exploit Examples: Dorothy, who has already traveled the world in her quest for adventure, now daydreams of the ultimate gest-a trip into outer space. "The best authentic source of Robin Hood stories is the late medieval poem A Gest of Robyn Hode …, a compilation of traditional ballads and stories." - From the 2003 travel book England by Guy McDonald Did you know? "Let the Queen know of our gests," Antony instructs his men after a hard-won victory on the battlefield in Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra." Great deeds and heroic acts have been the stuff of gests since medieval days; in fact, the word is more often associated with knights and heroes of old than with modern adventurers. We may not be hearing about many 21st century "gests," but we do frequently encounter other relatives of the word. "Gest" traces to Latin "gestus," the past participle of the verb "gerere," which means "to wage," "to bear," or "to carry," among other things. That Latin verb gave us stoutly enduring words like "gesture," "ingest," "jest," "register," and "suggest." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.