Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 4, 2015 is: imprimatur • \im-pruh-MAH-toor\  • noun 1 a :  a license to print or publish especially by Roman Catholic episcopal authority b :  approval of a publication under circumstances of official censorship 2 a :  sanction, approval b :  imprint c :  a mark of approval or distinction Examples: "But that's the new Coachella. Being the country's mo...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 3, 2015 is: durable • \DUR-uh-bul\  • adjective : able to exist for a long time without significant deterioration; also : designed to be durable Examples: The couch is covered in a pretty yet durable fabric, and it should last for years. "Fall is all about layers. Fleece, flannel and down feel cozy, while durable, antimicrobial merino wool is beloved...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 2, 2015 is: etymology • \eh-tuh-MAH-luh-jee\  • noun 1 : the history of a word or phrase shown by tracing its development and relationships 2 : a branch of linguistics dealing with etymologies Examples: As the etymology of "December" reports, the month gets its name from the Latin "decem" meaning "ten"—a nod to its former status as the tenth month in...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 1, 2015 is: consequential • \kahn-suh-KWEN-shul\  • adjective 1 : of the nature of a secondary result : indirect 2 : consequent 3 : having significant consequences : important 4 : self-important Examples: Voters handed the mayor a decisive victory in the election, demonstrating that they still trust her to handle the most consequential issues facing t...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 30, 2015 is: paragon • \PAIR-uh-gahn\  • noun : a model of excellence or perfection Examples: "What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals!" — William Shakespeare,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 29, 2015 is: emeritus • \ih-MEH-ruh-tus\  • adjective 1 : holding after retirement an honorary title corresponding to that held last during active service 2 : retired from an office or position — converted to emeriti after a plural Examples: A letter decrying cuts in staffing at the university was signed by 42 professors emeriti. "Additional members w...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 28, 2015 is: colligate • \KAH-luh-gayt\  • verb 1 : to bind, unite, or group together 2 : to subsume (isolated facts) under a general concept 3 : to be or become a member of a group or unit Examples: "For instance, many words colligate with the word 'the,' which is a grammatical marker of definiteness rather than a word that carries significant semant...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 27, 2015 is: minatory • \MIN-uh-tor-ee\  • adjective : having a menacing quality Examples: In the moonlight, the twisted winter trees took on a particularly baleful and minatory appearance. "No one likes to hear or heed prophets of doom, but history is replete with them.… The minatory mutterings of the Delphic Oracle were often unheeded by the Greeks....

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 26, 2015 is: Xanadu • \ZAN-uh-doo\  • noun : an idyllic, exotic, or luxurious place Examples: To Arthur, the beach house was a Xanadu, the perfect spot for the romantic tropical vacation he had dreamed of for years. "Others traveled to Tolchester Beach, the Xanadu of the Chesapeake, aboard Wilson Line steamers…." — Frederick N. Rasmussen, The Baltimor...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 25, 2015 is: dyed-in-the-wool • \dyde-in-thuh-WOOL\  • adjective : thoroughgoing, uncompromising Examples: "In public, Hunter [S. Thompson] was never his true self; he was playing Brando-gone-mad, a true, dyed-in-the-wool, 100 percent all-American showman." — Douglas Brinkley, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2005 "But let's be realistic. Dyed-in-the-wool [Whit...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 24, 2015 is: henotheism • \HEN-uh-thee-iz-um\  • noun : the worship of one god without denying the existence of other gods Examples: "For Assyrian kings, the god Ashur … was proclaimed to be the true king, and the human king was the god's regent. In other words, in the ancient world, henotheism was a convenient method for imposing a king's rule over s...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 23, 2015 is: foreshorten • \for-SHORT-un\  • verb 1 : to shorten by proportionately contracting in the direction of depth so that an illusion of projection or extension in space is obtained 2 : to make more compact : abridge, shorten Examples: "The past is a giant foreshortened with his feet towards us; and sometimes the feet are of clay." — G. K. Che...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 22, 2015 is: nebula • \NEB-yuh-luh\  • noun 1 : any of numerous clouds of gas or dust in interstellar space 2 : any of the very large groups of stars and associated matter that are found throughout the universe; especially : a galaxy other than the Milky Way — not used technically Examples: The explosion of a supernova leaves behind a nebula from whic...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 21, 2015 is: fulsome • \FULL-sum\  • adjective 1 a : characterized by abundance : copious b : generous in amount, extent, or spirit 2 : aesthetically, morally, or generally offensive 3 : exceeding the bounds of good taste : overdone 4 : excessively complimentary or flattering : effusive Examples: "The magnolia was in fulsome bloom, great waxy cups in...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 20, 2015 is: vicinity • \vuh-SIN-uh-tee\  • noun 1 : the quality or state of being near : proximity 2 : a surrounding area or district : neighborhood 3 : an approximate amount, extent, or degree Examples: There are several wonderful little stores in the vicinity of our new house. "He showed me how to draw the bowstring and where to keep my sights. Wit...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 19, 2015 is: ruly • \ROO-lee\  • adjective : obedient, orderly Examples: As far as groups of young children go, this one was unusually ruly: the youngsters were all fully engaged in building with a large set of colored blocks. "My hair is ruly, in fact, and I get it cut at least once a month." — Mike Pound, The Joplin (Missouri) Globe, 22 June 2013 Di...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 18, 2015 is: onomastics • \ah-nuh-MAS-tiks\  • noun 1 a : the science or study of the origins and forms of words especially as used in a specialized field b : the science or study of the origin and forms of proper names of persons or places 2 : the system underlying the formation and use of words especially for proper names or of words used in a speci...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 17, 2015 is: inviolable • \in-VYE-uh-luh-bul\  • adjective 1 : secure from violation or profanation 2 : secure from assault or trespass : unassailable Examples: The senator agreed to an interview on the basis of a set of clear and inviolable rules about what she would and would not answer. "Perhaps M Train represents the attempt by someone whose caree...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 16, 2015 is: talisman • \TAL-iss-mun\  • noun 1 : an object held to act as a charm to avert evil and bring good fortune 2 : something producing apparently magical or miraculous effects Examples: Ever since he was in grade school, Sarah's grandfather has carried a rabbit's foot in his pocket as a talisman. "Relics are physical possessions that were onc...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 15, 2015 is: purloin • \per-LOYN\  • verb : to appropriate wrongfully and often by a breach of trust Examples: The columnist resigned from the paper after it was revealed that he had purloined material from other journalists. "The C.I.A. hacks into computers that Senate intelligence committee staffers are using in the basement of a C.I.A. facility bec...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 14, 2015 is: equanimity • \ee-kwuh-NIM-uh-tee\  • noun 1 : evenness of mind especially under stress 2 : right disposition : balance Examples: The most successful athletes find a way to maintain equanimity in the face of disappointment and failure. "The theme of crime and punishment, with an emphasis on compassion, threads through this road movie, culm...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 13, 2015 is: bipartisan • \bye-PAR-ti-zun\  • adjective : of, relating to, or involving members of two parties; specifically : marked by or involving cooperation, agreement, and compromise between two major political parties Examples: The bill has bipartisan support in the Senate, since it stands to benefit both Democrats and Republicans equally. "The...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 12, 2015 is: sinecure • \SYE-nih-kyoor\  • noun : an office or position that requires little or no work and that usually provides an income Examples: The king was in the habit of rewarding his loyal supporters with sinecures. "The status of former presidential nominee turned influential insider is more than just a nice sinecure for a politician in the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 11, 2015 is: dewy • \DOO-ee\  • adjective 1 : moist with, affected by, or suggestive of dew 2 : innocent, unsophisticated Examples: The lawn was dewy and cool on our feet as we set off for a short barefoot walk just after sunrise. "Listening to their greatest hits with the 5th Dimension and as a duo—the dewy confessions of everlasting love, the sunny...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 10, 2015 is: kangaroo court • \kang-uh-ROO-KORT\  • noun 1 : a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted 2 : a court marked by irresponsible, unauthorized, or irregular status or procedures 3 : judgment or punishment given outside of legal procedure Examples: The press decried the tribunal as nothing more than...