Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 24, 2008 is: penury • \PEN-yuh-ree\  • noun 1 : a cramping and oppressive lack of resources (as money); especially : severe poverty 2 : extreme frugality Examples: As a young man Uncle Leonard endured great penury, and though he later became a successful business owner, he never forgot the hardships of his youth. Did you know? The exact meaning of "penury"...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 23, 2008 is: arriviste • \a-rih-VEEST\  • noun : one that is a new and uncertain arrival (as in social position or artistic endeavor) Examples: The young entrepreneur was viewed as an arriviste in the business community, and many old-timers were leery of his ideas. Did you know? An "arriviste" is someone who is just beginning to "arrive," in the sense of a...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 22, 2008 is: subreption • \sub-REP-shun\  • noun : a deliberate misrepresentation; also : an inference drawn from it Examples: Shareholders have filed a class action lawsuit against the company for its subreption of earnings and losses. Did you know? In canon law and Scots law, subreption is the obtainment of a dispensation or gift by concealment of the tr...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 21, 2008 is: opine • \oh-PYNE\  • verb : to state as an opinion Examples: In his review, Malcolm opined that it was good to see the band returning to the formula that had worked so well for their first album. Did you know? "Opine" has been around since the 15th century, and while it certainly is not a rare word today, not everyone is inclined to take it se...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 20, 2008 is: ramshackle • \RAM-shak-ul\  • adjective 1 : appearing ready to collapse : rickety 2 : carelessly or loosely constructed Examples: The properties were separated by a ramshackle wooden fence that was just barely held together with chicken wire. Did you know? "Ramshackle" has nothing to do with rams, nor the act of being rammed, nor shackles. The...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 19, 2008 is: propensity • \pruh-PENN-suh-tee\  • noun : an often intense natural inclination or preference Examples: "My brother has a propensity for exaggeration," said Daniella, "so you should probably take his claims with a grain of salt." Did you know? When it comes to synonyms of "propensity," the letter "p" predominates. "Proclivity," "preference," "...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 18, 2008 is: hierophant • \HYE-uh-ruh-fant\  • noun 1 : a priest in ancient Greece; specifically : the chief priest of the Eleusinian mysteries 2 a : a person who explains : commentator b : a person who defends or maintains a cause or proposal : advocate Examples: "Very few women can be coerced into spending $4,000 for green leather trousers embroidered wi...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 17, 2008 is: incandescent • \in-kun-DESS-unt\  • adjective 1 a : white, glowing, or luminous with intense heat b : marked by brilliance especially of expression c : characterized by glowing zeal : ardent 2 a : of, relating to, or being light produced by incandescence b : producing light by incandescence Examples: The professor was dazzled by Tia's incandes...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 16, 2008 is: puckish • \PUCK-ish\  • adjective : impish, whimsical Examples: Ellen found Gabe's puckish antics quite appealing when they first started dating, but now she wishes he would be more serious. Did you know? We know Puck as "that merry wanderer of the night," the shape-changing, maiden-frightening, mischief-sowing henchman to the king of the fair...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 15, 2008 is: titivate • \TIH-tuh-vayt\  • verb : to make or become smart or spruce Examples: "Work could undoubtedly be done on the show to titivate it for Broadway -- but the score will remain a problem, if not a liability." (Clive Barnes, The New York Post, August 13, 2000) Did you know? "Titivate," "spruce," "smarten," and "spiff" all mean "to make a pe...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 14, 2008 is: foursquare • \FOR-SKWAIR\  • adjective 1 : square 2 : marked by boldness and conviction : forthright Examples: The governor has been foursquare in his support for the education bill. Did you know? Early English speakers liked to use "foursquare" to describe a rectangle with four equal sides, even though they could also say it was simply "squar...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 13, 2008 is: attitudinize • \at-uh-TOO-duh-nyze\  • verb : to assume an affected mental attitude : pose Examples: "She kept her position; she seemed absorbed in the view. 'Is she posing -- is she attitudinizing for my benefit?' Longueville asked of himself." (Henry James, Confidence) Did you know? The English word "attitude" was first used in the 17th cent...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 12, 2008 is: iconoclast • \eye-KAH-nuh-klast\  • noun 1 : a person who destroys religious images or opposes their veneration 2 : a person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions Examples: Susan's irreverent opinion of Shakespeare made her an iconoclast in the eyes of many of her fellow English majors. Did you know? "Iconoclast" is a word that often sho...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 11, 2008 is: treacle • \TREE-kul\  • noun 1 : a medicinal compound formerly in wide use as a remedy against poison 2 a : molasses b : a blend of molasses, invert sugar, and corn syrup used as syrup 3 : something (as a tone of voice) heavily sweet and cloying Examples: The film is engaging for about an hour, but then it nose-dives into sentimental treacle a...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 10, 2008 is: livid • \LIV-id\  • adjective 1 : discolored by bruising : black-and-blue 2 : ashen, pallid 3 : reddish 4 : very angry : enraged Examples: "When my mother caught me sneaking in after midnight, she was livid," Manny reported. Did you know? "Livid" has a colorful history. The Latin adjective "lividus" means "dull, grayish, or leaden blue." From...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 9, 2008 is: chockablock • \CHAH-kuh-blahk\  • adjective 1 : brought close together 2 : very full Examples: Chandra's tiny apartment is chockablock with fabric, yarn, and other craft supplies. Did you know? "Chockablock" started out as a nautical term. A block is a metal or wooden case with one or more pulleys inside. Sometimes, two or more blocks are used...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 8, 2008 is: scavenger • \SKAV-un-jer\  • noun 1 : one who collects or salvages garbage or junk 2 : an organism that typically feeds on refuse or carrion Examples: Scavengers took the broken lamp that I left on the curb last night. Did you know? You might guess that "scavenger" is a derivative of "scavenge," but the reverse is actually true; "scavenger" is...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 7, 2008 is: beau geste • \boh-ZHEST\  • noun 1 : a graceful or magnanimous gesture 2 : an ingratiating conciliatory gesture Examples: Rather than compete against his best friend for the scholarship, Brayden gallantly stepped aside, a beau geste that Anthony never forgot. Did you know? "Beau geste" is a phrase borrowed from French; the literal translation i...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 6, 2008 is: veritable • \VAIR-uh-tuh-bul\  • adjective : being in fact the thing named and not false, unreal, or imaginary Examples: Melissa is a veritable wellspring of information on local history and folklore. Did you know? "Veritable," like its close relative "verity" ("truth"), came to English through Anglo-French from Latin. It is ultimately derived...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 5, 2008 is: posthaste • \POHST-HAYST\  • adverb : with all possible speed Examples: When it became clear that the interviewee was inebriated and unable to speak coherently, the television station cut to commercial posthaste. Did you know? In the 16th century, "haste, post, haste" was used to inform "posts," as couriers were then called, that a letter was u...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 4, 2008 is: kindred • \KIN-drud\  • adjective 1 : of a similar nature or character : like 2 : of the same ancestry Examples: The rock-climbing club tends to attract kindred spirits -- outdoorsy, adventurous types who derive satisfaction from conquering new challenges. Did you know? If you believe that advice and relatives are inseparable, the etymology of...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 3, 2008 is: modicum • \MAH-dih-kum\  • noun : a small portion : a limited quantity Examples: If you had possessed a modicum of sense, you would have paused to think before accepting such a dangerous job. Did you know? What does "modicum" have to do with a toilet? It just so happens that "modicum" shares the same Latin parent as "commode," which is a synony...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 2, 2008 is: anneal • \uh-NEEL\  • verb 1 : to make (as steel or glass) less brittle by heating and then cooling 2 : strengthen, toughen Examples: The glassmaker shaped the vase with quick, fluid movements and then placed it in the oven to anneal the glass. Did you know? If you were looking for a saying to apply to the word "anneal," it might be "everything...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 1, 2008 is: salad days • \SAL-ud-DAYZ\  • noun plural : time of youthful inexperience or indiscretion; also : an early flourishing period : heyday Examples: My grandfather loves to reminisce about his salad days in the small Nebraska town where he grew up. Did you know? A good salad is fresh, crisp, and usually green. Those attributes are often associated...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 30, 2008 is: propagate • \PRAH-puh-gayt\  • verb 1 : to reproduce or cause to reproduce biologically : multiply 2 : to cause to spread : extend 3 : to foster growing knowledge of, familiarity with, or acceptance of (as an idea or belief) : publicize Examples: Noah Webster endeavored to propagate a new system of spelling, with only limited success. Did yo...