Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 14, 2010 is: doldrums • \DOHL-drumz\  • noun 1 : a spell of listlessness or despondency 2 : a part of the ocean near the equator abounding in calms, squalls, and light shifting winds 3 : a state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or slump Examples: "A vacation on a tropical island could be just the thing you need to fight against the winter doldrums,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 13, 2010 is: triskaidekaphobia • \triss-kye-dek-uh-FOH-bee-uh\  • noun : fear of the number 13 Examples: "Billy Hart suffers absolutely no triskaidekaphobia. The Salem Avalanche infielder has worn No. 13 for six years…." (Katrina Waugh, The Roanoke Times [Virginia], July 14, 2007) Did you know? It's impossible to say just how or when the number thirtee...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 12, 2010 is: suborn • \suh-BORN\  • verb 1 : to induce secretly to do an unlawful thing 2 : to induce to commit perjury; also : to obtain (perjured testimony) from a witness Examples: "In the first place, a jury could not easily be suborned by any one." (Theodore Dreiser, The Financier) Did you know? The Latin word that gave us "suborn" in the early pa...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 11, 2010 is: pied-à-terre • \pee-ay-duh-TAIR\  • noun : a temporary or second lodging Examples: The couple owns a home in San Francisco and a pied-à-terre in Greenwich Village. Did you know? In French, "mettre pied à terre" means "to dismount." In the cavalry, dismounting at the end of the day meant occupying whatever temporary quarters were available....

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 10, 2010 is: cosmeticize • \kahz-MET-uh-syze\  • verb : to make (something unpleasant or ugly) superficially attractive Examples: The authors of the legislation have cosmeticized it with tax breaks and tax cuts. Did you know? "Cosmeticize" first appeared in print in the early 19th century as a descendant of the noun "cosmetic." Originally, its use was...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 9, 2010 is: amicable • \AM-ih-kuh-bul\  • adjective : characterized by friendly goodwill : peaceable Examples: “About a million couples divorce each year in the United States, and most, like my ex and me, start out striving to keep the split amicable.” (Annie Finnigan, Family Circle, October 17, 2008) Did you know? "Amicable," which derives from Late L...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 8, 2010 is: wushu • \WOO-SHOO\  • noun : Chinese martial arts Examples: Before becoming a martial arts film star, Jet Li was well-known as a champion in the Chinese sport of wushu. Did you know? The name of the martial art "wushu" derives from the Beijing dialect of Chinese, where it was formed by combining the words for "martial" or "military" ("wǔ")...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 7, 2010 is: magnanimous • \mag-NAN-uh-mus\  • adjective 1 : showing or suggesting a lofty and courageous spirit 2 : showing or suggesting nobility of feeling and generosity of mind Examples: Rather than gloat about her victory in the race, Michelle chose to be magnanimous and congratulated her opponents on their strong showings. Did you know? When you...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 6, 2010 is: chapel • \CHAP-ul\  • noun 1 : a private or subordinate place of worship 2 : an assembly at an educational institution usually including devotional exercises 3 : a place of worship used by a Christian group other than an established church Examples: The school required all of its students to attend chapel daily. Did you know? "Chapel" is ul...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 5, 2010 is: myrmidon • \MER-muh-dahn\  • noun : a loyal follower; especially : a subordinate who executes orders unquestioningly or unscrupulously Examples: The boss was more likely to offer promotions to her myrmidons than to those workers who occasionally questioned her tactics or proposed alternate solutions. Did you know? The Myrmidons, legendary i...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 4, 2010 is: felicitous • \fih-LISS-uh-tus\  • adjective 1 : very well suited or expressed : apt 2 : pleasant, delightful Examples: The film’s score, at least, is felicitous, as it lends emotional intensity to the otherwise wooden acting. Did you know? The adjective "felicitous" has been a part of our language since the late 18th century, but "felicity,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 3, 2010 is: gloze • \GLOHZ\  • verb 1 : to mask the true nature of : give a deceptively attractive appearance to -- often used with "over" 2 : to deal with (a subject or problem) too lightly or not at all -- often used with "over" Examples: "His modesty and shyness were at any rate proverbial, and it does seem that he went out of his way to conceal or...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 2, 2010 is: embargo • \im-BAHR-goh\  • noun 1 : an order of a government prohibiting the departure of commercial ships from its ports 2 : a legal prohibition on commerce 3 : stoppage, impediment; especially : prohibition Examples: Because of the trade embargo against Cuba, certain items, such as Cuban cigars, are illegal in the United States. Did you k...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 1, 2010 is: beatific • \bee-uh-TIFF-ik\  • adjective 1 : of, possessing, or imparting a state of utmost bliss 2 : having a blissful appearance Examples: A beatific smile spread across Grandmother’s face as she reminisced about her wedding day. Did you know? "Beatific," from Latin "beatificus" ("making happy"), first occurred in English in the phrase "b...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 31, 2009 is: homogeneous • \hoh-muh-JEEN-yus\  • adjective 1 : of the same or a similar kind or nature 2 : of uniform structure or composition throughout Examples: "In my opinion the solar system is a solid homogeneous body; the planets which compose it are in actual contact with each other." (Jules Verne, From the Earth to the Moon) Did you know? The...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 30, 2009 is: canaille • \kuh-NYE\  • noun 1 : rabble, riffraff 2 : proletarian Examples: "I am not going to write for [the New York Weekly] -- like all other papers that pay one splendidly, it circulates among stupid people & the canaille." (Mark Twain, letter, June 1, 1867) Did you know? For a creature said to be man’s best friend, the dog doesn’t ge...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 29, 2009 is: ominous • \AH-muh-nus\  • adjective : being or exhibiting an omen : portentous; especially : foreboding or foreshadowing evil : inauspicious Examples: Our fears about the picnic being cancelled were heightened by the sight of dark, ominous clouds appearing over the horizon. Did you know? "Ominous" didn't always mean "foreshadowing evil."...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 28, 2009 is: ergogenic • \ur-guh-JEN-ik\  • adjective : enhancing physical performance Examples: "New to this edition are chapters for rowers and a review of ergogenic aids, such as protein supplements and other products…." (Anne Stein, Chicago Tribune, June 3, 2007) Did you know? No matter your profession -- be it office worker, athlete, physicist, o...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 27, 2009 is: Sturm und Drang • \shtoorm-unt-DRAHNG\  • noun : turmoil Examples: The new film deftly captures the Sturm und Drang of growing up as it chronicles the turbulent lives of two teens in postwar Germany. Did you know? “Sturm und Drang” comes from German, where it literally means “storm and stress.” Although it’s now a generic synonym of “turm...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 26, 2009 is: two-bit • \TOO-BIT\  • adjective 1 : of the value of two bits 2 : cheap or trivial of its kind : petty, small-time Examples: Eliana had only a two-bit role in the musical, but her enchanting voice and beauty magnified her presence on stage. Did you know? The first definition of "two-bit" makes its etymology obvious: it is derived from the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 25, 2009 is: wassail • \WAH-sul\  • verb 1 : to indulge in riotous drinking 2 : to sing carols from house to house at Christmas 3 : to drink to the health or thriving of Examples: The farmer and his revelers wassailed the apple orchard, hoping for another fruitful season, and then merrily poured cider around the trees. Did you know? The salutation "wa...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 24, 2009 is: malleable • \MAL-ee-uh-bul\  • adjective 1 : capable of being extended or shaped by beating with a hammer or by the pressure of rollers 2 a : capable of being altered or controlled by outside forces or influences b : having a capacity for adaptive change Examples: Grandma took the cookie dough out of the refrigerator and allowed it to sof...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 23, 2009 is: baptism of fire • \BAP-tiz-um-uv-FYRE\  • noun 1 : an introductory or initial experience that is a severe ordeal; especially : a soldier's first exposure to enemy fire 2 : a spiritual baptism by a gift of the Holy Spirit Examples: Sandra got her baptism of fire as a babysitter when she spent the weekend taking care of her sister’s three r...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 22, 2009 is: veracity • \vuh-RASS-uh-tee\  • noun 1 : devotion to the truth : truthfulness 2 : conformity with truth or fact : accuracy 3 : something true Examples: English poet Thomas Gray wrote, "Any fool may write a most valuable book by chance, if he will only tell us what he heard and saw with veracity." Did you know? "Veracity" has been a part o...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 21, 2009 is: arbitrary • \AHR-buh-trair-ee\  • adjective 1 : autocratic, despotic 2 : determined by whim or caprice : existing or coming about seemingly at random or by chance Examples: The 10 p.m. deadline is arbitrary -- we could have easily selected another time for the contest to end -- but we had to pick a cutoff, and now it is set. Did you know?...