Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 15, 2008 is: disabuse • \diss-uh-BYOOZ\  • verb : to free from error, fallacy, or misconception Examples: After several months of hard work, Adam was thoroughly disabused of any notion that starting his own business would be an easy endeavor. Did you know? We know the verb "abuse" as a word meaning "to misuse," "to mistreat," or "to revile." But when...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 14, 2008 is: circumspect • \SER-kum-spekt\  • adjective : careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences : prudent Examples: “Indications are that school boards, uncertain of what voters will do, have been more circumspect in drafting budgets.” (The Star-Ledger [Newark, New Jersey], April 7, 2008) Did you know? "Circumspect," "cautiou...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 13, 2008 is: battue • \bat-TOO\  • noun : the beating of woods and bushes to flush game; also : a hunt in which this procedure is used Examples: During the battue, rabbits scampered out of the bushes where they had been hiding and toward the open field. Did you know? The battue is a technique practiced by hunters in order to give them a clean shot at...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 12, 2008 is: pantheon • \PAN-thee-ahn\  • noun 1 : a temple dedicated to all the gods; also : the gods of a people 2 : a group of illustrious persons Examples: With his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, the former player joined a pantheon of legends from the sport. Did you know? Some of the earliest uses of this word in the English language...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 11, 2008 is: cabotage • \KAB-uh-tahzh\  • noun 1 : trade or transport in coastal waters or airspace or between two points within a country 2 : the right to engage in coastal trade or transport Examples: Some assert that the problem would be resolved if the government would simply relax restrictions on cabotage. Did you know? Coastlines were once so im...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 10, 2008 is: jettison • \JET-uh-sun\  • verb 1 : to throw (goods) overboard to lighten a ship or aircraft in distress 2 : discard Examples: When they realized their plan was not going to work, the committee jettisoned the idea and thought up a new one. Did you know? “Jettison” comes from the Anglo-French noun “geteson,” meaning “action of throwing,” a...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 9, 2008 is: sedentary • \SED-un-tair-ee\  • adjective 1 : not migratory : settled 2 : doing or requiring much sitting 3 : not physically active 4 : permanently attached Examples: Jerry worried that he was becoming physically unfit after taking a sedentary desk job. Did you know? English speakers borrowed "sedentary" in the late 16th century from Middl...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 8, 2008 is: conundrum • \kuh-NUN-drum\  • noun 1 : a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun 2 a : a question or problem having only a conjectural answer b : an intricate and difficult problem Examples: Ideally, students in an ethics class are encouraged to really wrestle with moral conundrums. Did you know? The exact origin of "conundrum" isn't know...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 7, 2008 is: fastidious • \fas-TID-ee-us\  • adjective 1 : having high and often unpredictable standards 2 : showing a meticulous or demanding attitude Examples: These designer handbags are beautiful and have clearly been made with fastidious attention to detail. Did you know? There's nothing offensive about fastidious workmanship, and yet the word "fa...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 6, 2008 is: umami • \oo-MAH-mee\  • noun : a taste sensation that is meaty or savory and is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (as glutamate and aspartate) Examples: "Vegetarian dishes are usually difficult to meld with big red wines unless the dish includes umami, from ingredients such as intensely flavored mushrooms…." (The San Francisc...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 5, 2008 is: foray • \FOR-ay\  • noun 1 : a sudden or irregular invasion or attack for war or spoils : raid 2 : a brief excursion or attempt especially outside one's accustomed sphere Examples: The book marks the novelist’s first foray into nonfiction. Did you know? "Foray" comes from Middle English “forrayen” and probably traces back to an Anglo-Frenc...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 4, 2008 is: extricate • \EK-struh-kayt\  • verb 1 : to distinguish from a related thing 2 : to free or remove from an entanglement or difficulty Examples: Joe looked for a way to extricate himself gracefully from the long and tedious conversation with his chatty colleague. Did you know? It can take an ample amount of dexterity -- manual, verbal, or me...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 3, 2008 is: veld • \VELT\  • noun : a grassland especially of southern Africa usually with scattered shrubs or trees Examples: "Less than 200 years ago, thousands upon thousands of quaggas roamed the grassy veld of southern Africa." (Sharon Begley, Newsweek, June 18, 1984) Did you know? "Veld" (also spelled "veldt") comes from Afrikaans, the language...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 2, 2008 is: gauche • \GOHSH\  • adjective 1 : lacking social experience or grace; also : not tactful : crude 2 : crudely made or done Examples: "I can't believe she'd be so gauche as to ask you how much money you earn," Courtney huffed. Did you know? "Gauche" is one of several words that come from old suspicions or negative associations surrounding th...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 1, 2008 is: parry • \PAIR-ee\  • verb 1 : to ward off a weapon or blow 2 : to evade especially by an adroit answer Examples: The senator effectively parried all Beverly's questions about his dubious financial affairs. Did you know? "Parry" (which is used in fencing, among other applications) probably comes from "parez," a form of the French verb "pare...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 31, 2008 is: chiropteran • \kye-RAHP-tuh-run\  • noun : any of an order of night-flying mammals with forelimbs modified to form wings : bat Examples: The vampire hunters were greeted by swarms of chiropterans as they entered Dracula's castle. Did you know? "Chiroptera" is the name of the order of the only mammal capable of true flight, the bat. The nam...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 30, 2008 is: palpable • \PAL-puh-bul\  • adjective 1 : capable of being touched or felt : tangible 2 : obvious, plain Examples: There was a palpable excitement in the air as the actors prepared to go on stage on opening night. Did you know? The word "palpable" has been used in English since the 14th century. It derives from the Latin word “palpare,” me...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 29, 2008 is: superficies • \soo-per-FISH-eez\  • noun 1 : a surface of a body or a region of space 2 : the external aspects or appearance of a thing Examples: Although there have been changes in the superficies of our lives, many of the human dilemmas faced by our ancestors are still quite recognizable. Did you know? Look below the surface of "superfic...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 28, 2008 is: eldritch • \EL-dritch\  • adjective : weird, eerie Examples: Christina accompanied her ghost story by playing a recording filled with creaks, howls, and other eldritch sound effects. Did you know? "Curse," "cobweb," "witch," "ghost," and even "Halloween" -- all of these potentially spooky words have roots in Old English. "Eldritch," also,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 27, 2008 is: manticore • \MAN-tih-kor\  • noun : a legendary animal with the head of a man, the body of a lion, and the tail of a dragon or scorpion Examples: The book, a collection of fantastic tales, has on its cover a vivid illustration of a wild-eyed manticore chasing a hunter. Did you know? A mythical creature of ancient fables, the manticore keep...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 26, 2008 is: muckrake • \MUCK-rayk\  • verb : to search out and publicly expose real or apparent misconduct of a prominent individual or business Examples: Arn is an aggressive reporter, never afraid to ask difficult questions, hound evasive sources, or muckrake when things appear suspect. Did you know? The noun “muckrake” (literally, a rake for “muck,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 25, 2008 is: wherewithal • \WAIR-with-awl\  • noun : means, resources; specifically : money Examples: If I had the wherewithal, I’d buy that empty lot next door and put in a garden. Did you know? "Wherewithal" has been with us in one form or another since the 16th century. It comes from "where" and "withal" (meaning "with"), and it has been used as a c...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 24, 2008 is: exoteric • \ek-suh-TAIR-ik\  • adjective 1 : suitable to be imparted to the public 2 : belonging to the outer or less initiate circle 3 : external Examples: As specialist writing for a broader audience, Annette faces the challenge of producing an exoteric synthesis of complex information. Did you know? "Exoteric" derives from Latin "exōter...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 23, 2008 is: scofflaw • \SKAHFF-law\  • noun : a contemptuous law violator Examples: The governor’s office set up a database listing the names of scofflaws who hadn’t paid their traffic fines. Did you know? In 1924, a wealthy Massachusetts Prohibitionist named Delcevare King sponsored a contest in which he asked participants to coin an appropriate word...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 22, 2008 is: lacuna • \luh-KOO-nuh\  • noun 1 : a blank space or a missing part : gap 2 : a small cavity, pit, or discontinuity in an anatomical structure Examples: The newly discovered Civil War documents filled many lacunae in the museum's archives. Did you know? Exploring the etymology of "lacuna" involves taking a plunge into the pit -- or maybe a...