Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 9, 2015 is: umami • \oo-MAH-mee\  • noun : a taste sensation that is meaty or savory and is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (such as glutamate and aspartate) Examples: The cookbook has an entire chapter on umami, and lists a number of common ingredients—from tomato paste to Worcestershire sauce to anchovies—as easy ways to add it to di...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 8, 2015 is: gadfly • \GAD-flye\  • noun 1 : any of various flies that bite or annoy livestock 2 : a person who stimulates or annoys especially by persistent criticism Examples: Ms. Johnson has long been a gadfly at town meetings, and I've grown weary of her attempts to hector the town council into doing as she sees fit. "The council will hold a hearin...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 7, 2015 is: absolve • \ub-ZAHLV\  • verb 1 : to set free from an obligation or the consequences of guilt 2 : to remit (a sin) by absolution Examples: "A week of staying home from work, absolved of all household duties, waited on hand and foot by your significant other—it's not a dream. It's what happens when you have surgery on your foot and can't wal...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 6, 2015 is: Lucullan • \loo-KULL-un\  • adjective : lavish, luxurious Examples: "Two millennia ago, taverns were liberally represented in Pompeii. Today, there's just one place: Autogrill cafeteria near the Forum. Not exactly Lucullan feasting, but they do sell passable panini." — Michelle Locke, The Miami Herald, 25 Sept. 2015 "For most, gaining a fe...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 5, 2015 is: williwaw • \WILL-ih-waw\  • noun 1 a : a sudden violent gust of cold land air common along mountainous coasts of high latitudes b : a sudden violent wind 2 : a violent commotion Examples: The sailors had all heard stories of ships capsized by the williwaws that plagued the strait. "… he could see the downdraft kicking up sea spray and movi...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 4, 2015 is: trepid • \TREP-id\  • adjective : timorous, fearful Examples: Were I not feeling so trepid, I might have enjoyed joining the other campers for a nighttime walk in the woods. "If you're a bit more on the trepid side about traveling to Mexico, start your weekend at the touristy Rosarito Beach Hotel…. This place caters to Americans and hearke...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 3, 2015 is: confidant • \KAHN-fuh-dahnt\  • noun : one to whom secrets are entrusted; especially : an intimate friend Examples: "Who that has a confidant escapes believing too little in his penetration, and too much in his discretion?" — George Eliot, Daniel Deronda, 1876 "Did I mention the sextet of human-sized rats? These adorable rodents serve vari...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 2, 2015 is: ruddy • \RUDD-ee\  • adjective 1 : having a healthy reddish color 2 : red, reddish Examples: Sean's ruddy complexion was intensified after a brisk walk in the cold night air. "I like the crudo sampler, too, composed in part with citrusy salmon dusted with sea salt, and ruddy beef tartare." — Tom Sietsema, The Washington Post, 22 July 2015...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 1, 2015 is: microburst • \MY-kroh-burst\  • noun : a violent short-lived localized downdraft that creates extreme wind shears at low altitudes and is usually associated with thunderstorms Examples: "A microburst struck Osage City early Friday, causing downed trees and power lines, closing the town's schools and making streets nearly impassable, said P...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 31, 2015 is: ebullient • \ih-BULL-yunt\  • adjective 1 : boiling, agitated 2 : having or showing liveliness and enthusiasm : exuberant Examples: "Keegan, effortlessly ebullient even on his worst days, is probably the easiest person in the history of civilization to have a conversation with…." — Jay Martel, The New Yorker (online), 9 Sept. 2015 "You hav...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 30, 2015 is: underwhelm • \un-der-WELM\  • verb : to fail to impress or stimulate Examples: The figure skater's lackluster performance underwhelmed the judges. "Taking place as they are during vacation season, these first debates are almost guaranteed to underwhelm." — Jack Shafer, Politico.com, 5 Aug. 2015 Did you know? Overwhelm and its rare synonym...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 29, 2015 is: pellucid • \puh-LOO-sid\  • adjective 1 : admitting maximum passage of light without diffusion or distortion 2 : reflecting light evenly from all surfaces 3 : easy to understand Examples: "This is a controversial question with no pellucid answer." — The Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, 4 Apr. 2013 "There is nothing so beautiful as the trees i...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 28, 2015 is: delectation • \dee-lek-TAY-shun\  • noun : delight, enjoyment Examples: During the reception, a three-piece string band performed for the delectation of the guests. "The Kimbell Art Museum has the resources and reputation to bring masterpieces from major global museums to North Texas for our delectation." — Rick Brettell, The Dallas Mornin...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 27, 2015 is: slapstick • \SLAP-stick\  • noun 1 : a device made of two flat pieces of wood fastened at one end so as to make a loud noise when used by an actor to strike a person 2 : comedy stressing farce and horseplay; also : activity resembling slapstick Examples: Wally doesn't care much for contemporary comedy, instead preferring the slapstick of t...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 26, 2015 is: victual • \VIT-ul\  • noun 1 : food usable by people 2 : (plural) supplies of food Examples: The small grocery on the corner sells meat, bread, fruit, and other victuals at prices that rival those of the big supermarkets. "Always popular was the man who comes every year to sell gourmet dog food. His booth attracts hundreds who want their c...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 25, 2015 is: impeccable • \im-PECK-uh-bul\  • adjective 1 : not capable of sinning or liable to sin 2 : free from fault or blame : flawless Examples: Although the restaurant was a bit expensive, we found its memorable cuisine, luxurious decor, and impeccable service to be well worth the price. "When it comes to keeping the home sealed and operational,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 24, 2015 is: flimflam • \FLIM-flam\  • verb : to subject to a deception or fraud Examples: The people behind the e-mail scam tried to flimflam unsuspecting users into giving out their credit card information and Social Security numbers. "Dozens of Central New Yorkers were flimflammed into investing in a dying company because they were fed false informa...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 23, 2015 is: googol • \GOO-goll\  • noun : the figure 1 followed by 100 zeros equal to 10100 Examples: In January 1997, astronomers Fred Adams and Gregory Laughlin predicted that the universe would end in a number of years equal to approximately one googol. "Google spits out massive amounts of information. Even the name Google, a misspelling of 'googol...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 22, 2015 is: replete • \rih-PLEET\  • adjective 1 : fully or abundantly provided or filled 2 a : abundantly fed b : fat, stout 3 : complete Examples: The children were delighted to find that the costume trunk was replete with dresses, hats, capes, and all sorts of props to play make-believe. "While his sumptuous poetic language is replete with historic...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 21, 2015 is: nocebo • \noh-SEE-boh\  • noun : a harmless substance that when taken by a patient is associated with harmful effects due to negative expectations or the psychological condition of the patient Examples: "Medical researchers know about nocebos but are often at a loss how to deal with them. For example, it would be wrong not to tell people a...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 20, 2015 is: capitulate • \kuh-PIH-chuh-layt\  • verb 1 : to surrender often after negotiation of terms 2 : to cease resisting : acquiesce Examples: The company capitulated to the labor union to avoid a strike. "All this cataclysmic destruction, aggression and resolute response—all this history—took place between Sept. 1, 1939, when Hitler invaded Pola...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 19, 2015 is: oldster • \OHLD-ster\  • noun : an old or elderly person Examples: More and more oldsters are embracing the Internet and connecting and interacting using social media. "I once saw an actress in a period piece wake a snoozing oldster in the front row by tapping his bald head smartly with her fan." — Michael Feingold, Theater Mania, 4 Sept....

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 18, 2015 is: blithesome • \BLYTHE-sum\  • adjective : gay, merry Examples: "… I had washed my being in the sunrise and felt as blithesome as the day." — Lucy Maud Montgomery, "A Correspondence and a Climax," 1905 "I remember a time when I could waltz directly through the double doors that lead to my children, but those blithesome days have passed." — C...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 17, 2015 is: jurisprudence • \joor-us-PROO-dunss\  • noun 1 : the science or philosophy of law 2 a : a system or body of law b : the course of court decisions 3 : a department of law Examples: A basic premise of American jurisprudence is that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. "'The right to a lawyer is a pillar of Ame...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 16, 2015 is: tremulous • \TREM-yuh-luss\  • adjective 1 : characterized by or affected with trembling or tremors 2 : affected with timidity : timorous 3 : such as is or might be caused by nervousness or shakiness 4 : exceedingly sensitive : easily shaken or disordered Examples: The piece begins with the tremulous tones of a violin coming from what soun...