Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 12, 2007 is: retrospective • \reh-truh-SPEK-tiv\  • adjective 1 a : contemplative of or relative to past events b : being a generally comprehensive exhibition, compilation, or performance of the work of an artist over a span of years 2 : affecting things past : retroactive Examples: Carla's next film will be a retrospective documentary about her favori...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 11, 2007 is: langue • \LAHNG (the vowel is pronounced in a nasal manner)\  • noun : language viewed abstractly as a system of forms and conventions used for communication in a community; also : the knowledge that enables a person to speak and understand a language Examples: Langue makes communication possible; without it we could not process and unders...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 10, 2007 is: betwixt • \bih-TWIKST\  • adverb or preposition : between Examples: "A relative newbie as satellites go will glide betwixt a crescent moon and the Red Planet tonight on its way to the Little Dipper." (Thomas Stauffer, Arizona Daily Star, March 2, 2006) Did you know? "Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean; and so betwixt t...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 9, 2007 is: terrestrial • \tuh-RESS-tree-ul\  • adjective 1 a : of or relating to the earth or its inhabitants b : mundane in scope or character : prosaic 2 a : of or relating to land as distinct from air or water b : living on or in or growing from land Examples: Although Marnie studied terrestrial animals as an undergraduate, she plans to focus on do...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 8, 2007 is: jactitation • \jak-tuh-TAY-shun\  • noun : a tossing to and fro or jerking and twitching of the body Examples: "It is clear that Mrs Y.'s tics are far more complex in form than mere Parkinsonian jerks, jactitations, or precipitations. . .." (Oliver Sacks, Awakenings) Did you know? In the 17th century, lawyers began tossing around the word "...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 7, 2007 is: orgulous • \OR-gyuh-lus\  • adjective : proud Examples: Antoine usually worked with the boutique's most elite clientele and so tended to adopt an orgulous air toward more "ordinary" customers. Did you know? "In Troy, there lies the scene. From Isles of Greece / The princes orgulous, their high blood chaf'd, / Have to the port of Athens sent...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 6, 2007 is: cocoon • \kuh-KOON\  • verb : to wrap or envelop in or as if in a cocoon Examples: Lily settled into the bleachers and cocooned herself in blankets so she could enjoy the ball game without being chilled by the icy wind. Did you know? Since at least 1679, English speakers have been using the noun "cocoon" for the silky covering that surround...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 5, 2007 is: umbra • \UM-bruh\  • noun 1 : a shaded area 2 a : a conical shadow excluding all light from a given source; specifically : the conical part of the shadow of a celestial body excluding all light from the primary source b : the central dark part of a sunspot Examples: During the lunar eclipse, the moon was in the umbra of the earth's shadow f...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 4, 2007 is: astute • \uh-STOOT\  • adjective 1 : having or showing shrewdness and perspicacity 2 : crafty, wily Examples: The candidate made a number of astute observations about both foreign and domestic policy during the debate. Did you know? "Astute" is similar in meaning to "shrewd" and "sagacious," but there are subtle differences in connotation a...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 3, 2007 is: sutler • \SUT-ler\  • noun : a civilian provisioner to an army post often with a shop on the post Examples: The sutler who provided the company's provisions wanted a dollar for a can of peaches, so the enlisted men had to be content with hardtack and jerky. Did you know? "For I shall sutler be / Unto the camp, and profits will accrue," Pist...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 2, 2007 is: morganatic • \mor-guh-NAT-ik\  • adjective : of, relating to, or being a marriage between a member of a royal or noble family and a person of inferior rank in which the rank of the inferior partner remains unchanged and the children of the marriage do not succeed to the titles, fiefs, or entailed property of the parent of higher rank Exampl...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 1, 2007 is: lodestone • \LOAD-stoan\  • noun 1 : magnetite possessing polarity 2 : something that strongly attracts Examples: The old battlefield is a lodestone for history buffs, and many people travel long distances to visit it. Did you know? "Lodestone" is made up of distinctly English components, ones that have been part of our language since befor...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 30, 2007 is: restive • \RES-tiv\  • adjective 1 : stubbornly resisting control : balky 2 : marked by impatience or uneasiness : fidgety Examples: The audience grew restive as the scholar introducing the acclaimed poet droned on and on. Did you know? "Restive" ultimately comes from the Anglo-French word "rester," meaning "to stop, resist, or remain."...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 29, 2007 is: infrangible • \in-FRAN-juh-bul\  • adjective 1 : not capable of being broken or separated into parts 2 : not to be infringed or violated Examples: Page explained that family is sacred to her because she believes that few things in life are more infrangible than the bonds of kinship. Did you know? "Infrangible" comes to us via Middle Fren...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 28, 2007 is: syncategorematic • \sin-kat-uh-gor-uh-MAT-ik\  • adjective : forming a meaningful expression only in conjunction with a denotative expression (as a content word) Examples: "In any language, there will be what are called syncategorematic words, such as prepositions and articles," explained Dr. Lewis. Did you know? In ancient Greek logic,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 27, 2007 is: fugitive • \FYOO-juh-tiv\  • noun 1 : a person who flees or tries to escape; especially : refugee 2 : something elusive or hard to find Examples: The television news aired frequent descriptions of the fugitive, who was wanted for assault and murder. Did you know? "Fugitive" was adopted into English as both a noun and an adjective in the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 26, 2007 is: bodacious • \boh-DAY-shuss\  • adjective 1 : outright, unmistakable 2 : remarkable, noteworthy 3 : sexy, voluptuous Examples: "Bears are not picky eaters especially in the spring, after they wake up from their winter hibernation with a bodacious appetite." (George Osgood, Star-Gazette [Elmira, New York], May 12, 2007) Did you know? Some...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 25, 2007 is: commensurate • \kuh-MEN-suh-rut\  • adjective 1 : equal in measure or extent : coextensive 2 : corresponding in size, extent, amount, or degree : proportionate Examples: "Salary commensurate with experience," the job advertisement read. Did you know? "Commensurate" is a word that really measures up. And no wonder -- it's a descendant of...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 24, 2007 is: exculpatory • \ek-SKUL-puh-tor-ee\  • adjective : tending or serving to clear from alleged fault or guilt Examples: The witness's exculpatory testimony convinced the jury to find the defendant not guilty. Did you know? No one will blame you for having questions about the origins of "exculpatory." The adjective comes from a combination of...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 23, 2007 is: acerbic • \uh-SER-bik\  • adjective : acid in temper, mood, or tone Examples: Liam's speech was punctuated by his usual acerbic wit, and some people in the audience thought that his comments went too far. Did you know? English speakers created "acerbic" in the 19th century by adding "-ic" to the adjective "acerb." "Acerb" had been around...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 22, 2007 is: prognosticate • \prahg-NAHSS-tuh-kayt\  • verb 1 : to foretell from signs and symptoms : predict 2 : presage Examples: The two sportscasters bantered back and forth, each dismissing the other's attempts to prognosticate the outcome of the championship. Did you know? "Prognosticate," which comes from the Greek "prognōstikos" ("foretelling...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 21, 2007 is: genial • \JEE-nee-ul\  • adjective 1 : favorable to growth or comfort : mild 2 : marked by or diffusing sympathy or friendliness 3 : displaying or marked by genius Examples: Our genial host immediately offered us refreshments and introduced us to everyone. Did you know? "Genial" derives from the Latin adjective "genialis," meaning "conne...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 20, 2007 is: quidnunc • \KWID-nunk\  • noun : a person who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip : busybody Examples: Those who criticize Joanne for being a quidnunc are usually the first to go to her when they want to know the latest gossip. Did you know? "What's new?" That's a question every busybody wants answered. Latin-speaking Nosey Parke...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 19, 2007 is: fissiparous • \fih-SIP-uh-rus\  • adjective : tending to break up into parts : divisive Examples: The reorganization of management can have a fissiparous effect on the rest of the company. Did you know? When it first entered English in the 19th century, "fissiparous" was concerned with reproduction. In biology, a fissiparous organism is...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 18, 2007 is: thesaurus • \thih-SOR-us\  • noun 1 : treasury, storehouse 2 a : a book of words or of information about a particular field or set of concepts; especially : a book of words and their synonyms b : a list of subject headings or descriptors usually with a cross-reference system for use in the organization of a collection of documents for re...