Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 23, 2011 is: shaggy-dog • \shag-ee-DAWG\  • adjective : of, relating to, or being a long-drawn-out circumstantial story concerning an inconsequential happening that impresses the teller as humorous or interesting but the hearer as boring and pointless; also : of, relating to, or being a similar humorous story whose humor lies in the pointlessness or irrel...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 22, 2011 is: refection • \rih-FEK-shun\  • noun 1 : refreshment of mind, spirit, or body; especially : nourishment 2 a : the taking of refreshment b : food and drink together : repast Examples: "Miss Vavasour, so assiduous in other areas of her care of us, is capricious, not to say cavalier, in the matter not only of luncheon but of meals in general, and...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 21, 2011 is: decry • \dih-KRY\  • verb 1 : to depreciate (as a coin) officially or publicly 2 : to express strong disapproval of Examples: In her article, she decries the pollution of the environment by manufacturers. "Inside the meeting, several speakers, including a teacher, two parents and two students, also decried the board action as wrongheaded or t...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 20, 2011 is: ritzy • \RIT-see\  • adjective 1 : being, characteristic of, or befitting a snob : snobbish 2 : impressively or ostentatiously fancy or stylish : fashionable, posh Examples: "That was how Martin saw himself -- as an outsider, a little guy, who was either being dragged back to his lowly roots or scorned by the 'ritzy' people." -- From Richard...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 19, 2011 is: reprehensible • \rep-rih-HEN-suh-bul\  • adjective : worthy of or deserving blame or condemnation Examples: The suspect is accused of committing reprehensible acts of violence. "It seems as if those with an agenda only have to resort to reprehensible conduct to receive the attention they crave."-- From a letter to the editor by Mark Goldstein...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 18, 2011 is: temporize • \TEM-puh-ryze\  • verb 1 : to act to suit the time or occasion : yield to current or dominant opinion 2 : to draw out discussions or negotiations so as to gain time Examples: I hope city council members will take swift action at today’s meeting, but I’m worried that they are more likely to temporize. "The more the Security Council...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 17, 2011 is: forebear • \FOR-bair\  • noun : ancestor, forefather; also : precursor Examples: Though several of her male forebears had graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, Tina was the first woman of the family to do so. "Our superstitious forebears used to say: Don't get up on the wrong side of the bed." -- From an article in the Telegram & Gazette (Wo...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 16, 2011 is: efficacious • \ef-uh-KAY-shus\  • adjective : having the power to produce a desired effect Examples: Pam knew that the most efficacious remedy for her cold would be a steaming bowl of her grandmother’s famous chicken soup. "The following plan is efficacious in ridding fields not only of crows but of smaller birds and even domestic fowl: Make...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 15, 2011 is: absinthe • \AB-sinth\  • noun : a green liqueur which is flavored with wormwood, anise, and other aromatic herbs and commercial production of which is banned in many countries for health concerns; also : a liqueur resembling absinthe Examples: "I guess they'll put her out of here, too -- she's getting to have crazy fits, from drinking absinth...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 14, 2011 is: paste • \PAIST\  • verb 1 : to strike hard at 2 : to beat or defeat soundly Examples: "With two outs, two on, a 3-2 lead and a 1-2 count on light-hitting Nick Green in the seventh inning, Pavano didn't come far enough inside with a fastball and the D-Rays second baseman pasted the ball on a line toward the left-field corner." -- From a news s...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 13, 2011 is: roué • \roo-AY\  • noun : a man devoted to a life of sensual pleasure : rake Examples: "So when maidenhood has wandered into the moil of the city, when it is brought within the circle of the 'rounder' and the roué, even though it be at the outermost rim, they can come forth and use their alluring arts." -- From Theodore Dreiser's 1900 novel S...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 12, 2011 is: genteel • \jen-TEEL\  • adjective 1 a : of or relating to the gentry or upper class b : elegant or graceful in manner, appearance, or shape c : free from vulgarity or rudeness : polite 2 : marked by false delicacy, prudery, or affectation Examples: Sylvia always maintains a genteel appearance, with a carefully chosen wardrobe that befits her...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 11, 2011 is: Cassandra • \kuh-SAN-druh\  • noun 1 : a daughter of Priam endowed with the gift of prophecy but fated never to be believed 2 : one that predicts misfortune or disaster Examples: The excitement of planning for Rachel’s graduation cookout was tempered by the pessimism of the family Cassandras, who were convinced it would rain that day. "The Ca...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 10, 2011 is: mutatis mutandis • \myoo-TAH-tis-myoo-TAHN-dis\  • adverb 1 : with the necessary changes having been made 2 : with the respective differences having been considered Examples: The points that the author of the study makes about the town's roads and bridges also apply, mutatis mutandis, to its schools and municipal buildings. "On balance, the O...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 9, 2011 is: uncouth • \un-KOOTH\  • adjective 1 : strange or clumsy in shape or appearance : outlandish 2 : lacking in polish and grace : rugged 3 : awkward and uncultivated in appearance, manner, or behavior : rude Examples: Stacy realized it would be uncouth to show up to the party without a gift, so she picked up a bottle of wine on the way. "For start...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 8, 2011 is: reciprocate • \rih-SIP-ruh-kayt\  • verb 1 : to move backward and forward alternately 2 : to give and take mutually 3 : to make a return for something done or given Examples: It was kind of Jake to give us a ride to the airport, and we’d like to find a way to reciprocate the favor. "Reese Witherspoon invited Prince William and Kate Middleton t...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 7, 2011 is: secular • \SEK-yuh-ler\  • adjective 1 a : of or relating to the worldly or temporal b : not overtly or specifically religious c : not ecclesiastical or clerical 2 : not bound by monastic vows or rules; specifically : of, relating to, or forming clergy not belonging to a religious order or congregation Examples: Though I attended a Catholic hi...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 6, 2011 is: banshee • \BAN-shee\  • noun : a female spirit in Gaelic folklore whose appearance or wailing warns a family that one of them will soon die Examples: Barbara screamed like a banshee when she saw the spider slowly crawling up her leg. "Wednesday's audience howled like banshees." -- From a theater review by Chris Silk in Florida's Naples Daily N...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 5, 2011 is: pomaceous • \poh-MAY-shus\  • adjective 1 : of or relating to apples 2 : resembling a pome Examples: The back porch held a sweet, pomaceous aroma, and immediately Glen knew that his mother had baked an apple pie for dessert. "This Festival is devoted to the mysteries of Plant Reproduction, especially that of those wondrous trees, the Angiosper...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 4, 2011 is: mumblety-peg • \MUM-bul-tee-peg\  • noun : a game in which the players try to flip a knife from various positions so that the blade will stick into the ground Examples: When they felt they'd outgrown marbles, the boys in the neighborhood switched to mumblety-peg, which they played in the dirt parking lot behind Main Street's stores. "A boy on...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 3, 2011 is: nictitate • \NIK-tuh-tayt\  • verb : wink Examples: Timothy developed a tic in his eyelid that caused it to nictitate on occasion. "Their clear eyelids slowly nictitated over black orb eyes." -- From Barb and J.C. Hendee's 2011 novel Through Stone and Sea Did you know? "Nictitate" didn't just happen in the blink of an eye; it developed over ti...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 2, 2011 is: lambent • \LAM-bunt\  • adjective 1 : playing lightly on or over a surface : flickering 2 : softly bright or radiant 3 : marked by lightness or brilliance especially of expression Examples: The forest floor was dappled with lambent flecks of golden sunlight filtering down through the leafy branches. "In the lambent softness of all that moonlig...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 1, 2011 is: iota • \eye-OH-tuh\  • noun 1 : the 9th letter of the Greek alphabet 2 : an infinitesimal amount : jot Examples: The prosecution made an aggressive case against the defendant, but they did not present even an iota of solid evidence that proved he was guilty of the murder. "At a recent consultation, we met a woman whose home was the epitome of...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 31, 2011 is: deleterious • \del-uh-TEER-ee-us\  • adjective : harmful often in a subtle or unexpected way Examples: Marguerite is convinced that violent television programs will have a deleterious effect on her children, so she carefully monitors what they watch. "Democrats and Republicans, because of their nefarious relationships with lobbyists, have turn...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 30, 2011 is: enfant terrible • \ahn-fahn-teh-REE-bluh\  • noun 1 a : a child whose inopportune remarks cause embarrassment b : a person known for shocking remarks or outrageous behavior 2 : a usually young and successful person who is strikingly unorthodox, innovative, or avant-garde Examples: John McEnroe's on-court temper tantrums earned him a reputation...