Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 18, 2015 is: whodunit • \hoo-DUN-it\  • noun : a detective story or mystery story Examples: Betsy packed several romance novels and whodunits to read at the beach. "'Miranda Writes,' a new play that combines the elements of a screwball comedy with a whodunit, will take center stage this month at Naperville's North Central College." - Nancy Dunker, Daily He...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 17, 2015 is: terrestrial • \tuh-RESS-tree-ul\  • adjective 1 : of or relating to the earth or its inhabitants 2 : living or growing on land 3 : belonging to a class of planets that are like the earth (as in density and silicate composition) Examples: The newly discovered fossils include some of the earliest known terrestrial arachnids. "The InSight mission...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 16, 2015 is: hinterland • \HIN-ter-land\  • noun 1 : a region lying inland from a coast 2 a : a region remote from cities b : a region lying beyond major metropolitan or cultural centers Examples: The enormous Greenland Ice Sheet covers most of the hinterland of the world's largest island. "I know my country, and my fellow countrymen; the people I was meet...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 15, 2015 is: bowdlerize • \BOHD-ler-ize\  • verb 1 : to expurgate by omitting or modifying parts considered vulgar 2 : to modify by abridging, simplifying, or distorting in style or content Examples: Years later, it was discovered that the publisher had bowdlerized many of the poet's letters. "Being an iconic classic, however, hasn't protected Adventures o...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 14, 2015 is: jinni • \JEE-nee\  • noun 1 : one of a class of spirits that according to Muslim demonology inhabit the earth, assume various forms, and exercise supernatural power 2 : a magic spirit believed to take human form and serve the person who calls it : genie Examples: "Onstage, she was electric. She was like some sort of jinni, a supernatural force...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 13, 2015 is: askance • \uh-SKANSS\  • adverb 1 : with a side-glance : obliquely 2 : with disapproval or distrust : scornfully Examples: Rebecca's children looked askance at her when she suggested they turn off their electronic devices and go play outside in the nice weather. "Well, mandolin players tend to look askance at ukuleles, because we're often aske...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 12, 2015 is: ingurgitate • \in-GUR-juh-tayt\  • verb : to swallow greedily or in large quantities : guzzle Examples: "Because we always listen to 'the experts,' we make sure to ingurgitate some protein after an extended endurance workout." - Christopher Arns, Sacramento (California) Bee August 31, 2013 "The twilight deepens, one talks … feelingly about the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 11, 2015 is: technobabble • \TEK-nuh-bab-ul\  • noun : technical jargon Examples: The manual for the computer program used so much technobabble that I was completely lost. "Flitting comfortably between highbrow wit and gleeful crassness, Silicon Valley elicits more than its share of honest-to-goodness belly laughs, whether or not you’re up on the latest te...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 10, 2015 is: riparian • \ruh-PAIR-ee-un\  • adjective : relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (such as a river) or sometimes of a lake or a tidewater Examples: When the students were studying riparian habitat development, their teacher took them on a field trip to a nearby creek. "But invasive plants slowly overtook the nati...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 9, 2015 is: saltation • \sal-TAY-shun\  • noun 1 a : the action or process of leaping or jumping b : dance 2 : the origin of a new species or a higher taxon in essentially a single evolutionary step Examples: "Neither kangaroos nor rats, the kangaroo rats show a genetic kinship to beavers. The name 'kangaroo' owes to their hopping on enlarged hind legs, a...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 8, 2015 is: louche • \LOOSH\  • adjective : not reputable or decent Examples: The man was nicely dressed but had a hard-boiled, louche look about him that raised suspicion. "However louche Los Angeles' image may be, it remains a puritanical city in a puritanical state. California caps the number of bar licenses … at one for every 2,000 residents. That numb...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 7, 2015 is: virtuoso • \ver-choo-OH-soh\  • noun 1 : someone skilled in or having a taste for the fine arts 2 : someone who excels in the technique of an art; especially : a highly skilled musical performer 3 : a person who has great skill at some endeavor Examples: Peggy, a virtuoso on the piano, performed her first recital when she was only six years old...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 6, 2015 is: dauntless • \DAWNT-lus\  • adjective : resolute especially in the face of danger or difficulty : fearless, undaunted Examples: The rescuers were dauntless, battling cold, wind, and fatigue to reach the injured mountain climbers. "In recent years Scandinavian central bankers have shown the same dauntless appetite for exploration that once saw No...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 5, 2015 is: epigram • \EP-ih-gram\  • noun 1 : a concise poem dealing pointedly and often satirically with a single thought or event and often ending with an ingenious turn of thought 2 : a terse, sage, or witty and often paradoxical saying 3 : expression marked by the use of epigrams Examples: On the wall of his studio, Jonathan kept a framed print of his...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 4, 2015 is: cozen • \KUZ-un\  • verb 1 : to deceive, win over, or induce to do something by artful coaxing and wheedling or shrewd trickery 2 : to gain by artful coaxing or tricky deception Examples: The young man used his charm to cozen elderly victims into pouring their savings into his investment scheme. "The BBC stated in its coverage of the decision t...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 3, 2015 is: predicate • \PRED-uh-kayt\  • verb 1 : affirm, declare 2 a : to assert to be a quality, attribute, or property - used with of b : to make (a term) the predicate in a proposition 3 : found, base - usually used with on 4 : imply Examples: "We don't elect them to agree with us, but rather to explain to us the best options available. All of this is...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 2, 2015 is: masterful • \MASS-ter-ful\  • adjective 1 a : inclined and usually competent to act as master b : suggestive of a domineering nature 2 : having or reflecting the skills of a master Examples: "The San Carlos-based author is a masterful storyteller, and her command of language, plot and character come together brilliantly…." - Georgia Rowe, San J...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 1, 2015 is: aficionado • \uh-fish-ee-uh-NAH-doh\  • noun : a person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usually fervently pursued interest or activity : devotee Examples: Mickey's brother, an aficionado of jazz, was a regular at the downtown clubs and often bought new records on the day they were released. "For American chess aficionados, lopsided de...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 30, 2015 is: mogul • \MOH-gul\  • noun 1 : (capitalized Mogul) an Indian Muslim of or descended from one of several conquering groups of Mongol, Turkish, and Persian origin; especially : Great Mogul 2 : a person of rank, power, influence, or distinction often in a specified area Examples: The media mogul owned such a large number of newspapers and televi...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 29, 2015 is: commodious • \kuh-MOH-dee-us\  • adjective : comfortably or conveniently spacious : roomy Examples: "Branch … says the top priority for a moviegoer is comfortable seating. To meet that demand, Hendrick Construction … removed the theater's 1,800 traditionally narrow, fabric-covered folding seats and replaced them with 800 more commodious, den...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 28, 2015 is: portmanteau • \port-MAN-toh\  • noun 1 : a large suitcase 2 : a word or morpheme whose form and meaning are derived from a blending of two or more distinct forms Examples: The word "ginormous" is a portmanteau of "gigantic" and "enormous." "… the rumors that the singer [Rihanna] is now dating Leonardo DiCaprio may or may not be true, but the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 27, 2015 is: savvy • \SAV-ee\  • verb : to understand Examples: "The agency's Denver office sent Siringo, who savvied some Spanish, to Santa Fe." - Ollie Reed Jr., Albuquerque (New Mexico) Tribune, June 30, 2001 "And kudos to Stan for the sensitivity. Savvying the tension between Ted and Peggy, Stan offers a sincere, 'Buck up chief.'" - Marisa Nadolny, T...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 26, 2015 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: Among the items being auctioned off is a beautiful set of six chairs carved in a rococo style. "Mythological c...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 25, 2015 is: lissome • \LISS-um\  • adjective 1 : easily flexed 2 : lithe, nimble Examples: The lissome figures of the swimmers wriggled up and down the lanes of the pool. "One [pas de deux](/dictionary/pas de deux), by Vernard J. Gilmore and Sarah Daley, whose arms floated from her lissome torso like drifting silk, offered a rare glimpse of the choreogr...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 24, 2015 is: tyro • \TYE-roh\  • noun : a beginner in learning : novice Examples: The ranch has one riding trail for tyros and several more challenging options for experienced riders. "The young Falcons tyro is up for the challenge after missing the first two games of the season with an ankle injury he carried through pre-season." - Sunshine Coast Daily,...