Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 17, 2007 is: salubrious • \suh-LOO-bree-us\  • adjective : favorable to or promoting health or well-being Examples: Scott's breathing problems have improved markedly since he left the city and moved to a place with a more salubrious climate. Did you know? "Salubrious" and its synonyms "healthful" and "wholesome" all mean favorable to the health of mi...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 16, 2007 is: dissonant • \DISS-uh-nunt\  • adjective 1 : marked by lack of agreement : discordant 2 : incongruous 3 : harmonically unresolved Examples: "The beautiful tuna had been cooked to dry dullness, and the bitter baby bok choy was alarmingly dissonant with the sauce." (Patricia Greathouse, Santa Fe New Mexican, August 4, 2006) Did you know? Th...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 15, 2007 is: pinchbeck • \PINCH-beck\  • noun 1 : an alloy of copper and zinc used especially to imitate gold in jewelry 2 : something counterfeit or spurious Examples: Danny claims that the word "trousers" comes from the name of "inventor" Jacob Trowser, but that etymology is just a pinchbeck. Did you know? On November 27, 1732, an advertisement ran...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 14, 2007 is: thwart • \THWORT\  • verb 1 a : to run counter to so as to effectively oppose or baffle : contravene b : to oppose successfully : defeat the hopes or aspirations of 2 : to pass through or across Examples: At the end of the episode, the fleeing villain told the hero, "You may have thwarted me this time, but I'll be back." Did you know? "T...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 13, 2007 is: dubious • \DOO-bee-us\  • adjective 1 a : of doubtful promise or outcome b : questionable or suspect as to true nature or quality 2 : unsettled in opinion : doubtful Examples: I'm dubious that this plan will be successful, but I'm willing to try. Did you know? "Dubious" derives from the Latin verb "dubare," meaning "to hesitate in choice...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 12, 2007 is: virtuoso • \ver-choo-OH-soh\  • noun 1 : one skilled in or having a taste for the fine arts 2 : one who excels in the technique of an art; especially : a highly skilled musical performer (as on the violin) 3 : a person who has great skill at some endeavor Examples: Amir is a virtuoso who makes playing the violin look easy. Did you know?...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 11, 2007 is: aplomb • \uh-PLAHM\  • noun : complete and confident composure or self-assurance : poise Examples: Never once betraying the fact that this was her first sales trip, Rachel delivered the product presentation with the aplomb of a veteran. Did you know? In the 19th century, English speakers borrowed "aplomb," meaning "composure," from Frenc...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 10, 2007 is: longueur • \lawn-GUR ( approximation -- this word comes from French and h\  • noun : a dull and tedious passage or section (as of a book, play, or musical composition) -- usually used in plural Examples: "This production has its occasional longueurs, but glorious singing and energetic choreography quickly rope us back in." (Rick Rogers,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 9, 2007 is: convivial • \kun-VIV-ee-ul\  • adjective : relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company Examples: Ellen and Kevin's dinner parties are always relaxed, convivial events, with good food in abundance, and wine and conversation both flowing freely. Did you know? "Convivial" traces to "convivium," a Latin word me...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 8, 2007 is: jape • \JAYP\  • verb 1 : to say or do something jokingly or mockingly 2 : to make mocking fun of Examples: At the convention, the younger gamers japed at the low-tech graphics of the early consoles on display. Did you know? "Jape" mysteriously appeared in the English language during the 14th century and was adopted by literary folks, suc...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 7, 2007 is: miasma • \mye-AZ-muh\  • noun 1 : a vaporous exhalation formerly believed to cause disease; also : a heavy vaporous emanation or atmosphere 2 : an influence or atmosphere that tends to deplete or corrupt; also : an atmosphere that obscures : fog Examples: Hallie couldn't wait to escape the miasma of petty rivalry that had enveloped the te...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 6, 2007 is: grandiloquence • \gran-DIH-luh-kwunss\  • noun : a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially in language Examples: I prefer a more informal style, so I was a bit put off by the grandiloquence of the author's writing. Did you know? "Grandiloquence," which first appeared in English in the late...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 5, 2007 is: benign • \bih-NYNE\  • adjective 1 : of a gentle disposition : gracious 2 a : showing kindness and gentleness b : favorable, wholesome 3 a : of a mild type or character that does not threaten health or life; especially : not becoming cancerous b : having no significant effect : harmless Examples: Mr. Richardson was a benign man and an exc...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 4, 2007 is: ruly • \ROO-lee\  • adjective : obedient, orderly Examples: Concert organizers worried that rambunctious fans might get out of hand, but the crowd was surprisingly ruly. Did you know? You're probably familiar with "unruly," meaning "not readily controlled or disciplined." Have you ever wondered, "Is there a 'ruly' too?" If so, did it seem...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 3, 2007 is: insinuate • \in-SIN-yuh-wayt\  • verb 1 a : to introduce (as an idea) gradually or in a subtle, indirect, or covert way b : to impart or suggest in an artful or indirect way : imply 2 : to introduce (as oneself) by stealthy, smooth, or artful means Examples: Caleb wouldn't openly accuse Trudy of lying, but he wasn't above insinuating it....

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 2, 2007 is: pillory • \PILL-uh-ree\  • noun 1 : a device formerly used for publicly punishing offenders consisting of a wooden frame with holes in which the head and hands can be locked 2 : a means for exposing one to public scorn or ridicule Examples: "Whenever [Charlie Brown] stepped onto a baseball field, the mound turned into a pillory, the boos...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 1, 2007 is: stipulate • \STIP-yuh-layt\  • verb 1 : to make an agreement to do something : contract 2 : to specify (something) as a condition or requirement (as of an agreement or offer) Examples: The lease stipulates that the tenant's failure to pay rent by the end of the month may result in eviction. Did you know? Like many terms used in the legal...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 31, 2007 is: tyro • \TYE-roh\  • noun : a beginner in learning : novice Examples: A reviewer described the new photography manual as "a clear explanation of the basics, ideal for tyros but too elementary for seasoned shutterbugs." Did you know? The word "tyro" is hardly a newcomer to Western language. It comes from the Latin "tiro," which means "young s...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 30, 2007 is: protean • \PROH-tee-un\  • adjective 1 : of or resembling Proteus in having a varied nature or ability to assume different forms 2 : displaying great diversity or variety : versatile Examples: Bradley has made the most of the space in his tiny apartment by selecting furniture pieces that are protean, such as storage cubes that double as ext...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 29, 2007 is: berate • \bih-RAYT\  • verb : to scold or condemn vehemently and at length Examples: I quit my job after my boss berated me for addressing a letter incorrectly. Did you know? "Berate" and one sense of the verb "rate" can both mean "to scold angrily or violently." This sense of "rate" was first recorded in the 14th century, roughly a century...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 28, 2007 is: stagflation • \stag-FLAY-shun\  • noun : persistent inflation combined with stagnant consumer demand and relatively high unemployment Examples: In the '70s, when the economy slid into stagflation, many college graduates had difficulty landing the high-paying jobs they had expected. Did you know? "Stagflation" is a portmanteau, that is, a wo...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 27, 2007 is: objet trouvé • \AWB-zhay-troo-VAY\  • noun : a natural or discarded object found by chance and held to have aesthetic value Examples: The museum's latest show, which features objets trouvés, is a dramatic change from last year's exhibition of medieval religious art. Did you know? "Objet trouvé" comes from French, where it literally means "f...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 26, 2007 is: auriferous • \aw-RIF-uh-russ\  • adjective : containing gold Examples: The discovery of an auriferous region in California sparked the famous gold rush of 1849. Did you know? Students in chemistry class learn that the chemical symbol for gold is "Au." That symbol is based on "aurum," the Latin word for the element. In the 17th century, Engl...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 25, 2007 is: parabolic • \pair-uh-BAH-lik\  • adjective 1 : expressed by or being a parable : allegorical 2 : of, having the form of, or relating to a parabola : of, having the form of, or relating to a curve formed by the intersection of a cone with a plane parallel to a straight line in its surface Examples: Astronomers have determined that the comet...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 24, 2007 is: crambo • \KRAM-boh\  • noun : a game in which one player gives a word or line of verse to be matched in rhyme by other players Examples: According to his early letters, James Boswell, friend and biographer of English lexicographer Samuel Johnson, was a keen crambo player. Did you know? We've called the game "crambo" since at least 1660, but...