Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 11, 2020 is: convoke \kun-VOHK\ verb : to call together to a meeting Examples: "The gloves were off now, and to mobilize every possible moral and military advantage, the pope convoked a general church Council in Rome for 1241." — Adrian House, Francis of Assisi , 2000 "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently convoked a committee charged with...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 10, 2020 is: elixir \ih-LIK-ser\ noun 1 a (1) : a substance held to be capable of changing base metals into gold (2) : a substance held to be capable of prolonging life indefinitely b (1) : cure-all (2) : a medicinal concoction 2 : a sweetened liquid usually containing alcohol that is used in medication either for its medicinal ingredients or as a flav...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 9, 2020 is: belated \bih-LAY-tud\ adjective 1 : delayed beyond the usual time 2 : existing or appearing past the normal or proper time Examples: Olivia called her friend on his birthday to let him know that a belated gift from her was on its way. "Although it airs in Hebrew and Yiddish with English subtitles, Shtisel … has become such an international...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 8, 2020 is: surfeit \SER-fut\ noun 1 : an overabundant supply : excess 2 : an intemperate or immoderate indulgence in something (such as food or drink) 3 : disgust caused by excess Examples: "The fracking boom in the United States has led to a surfeit of natural gas worldwide." — Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic , 3 Dec. 2019      "So w...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 7, 2020 is: dragoon \druh-GOON\ verb 1 : to subjugate or persecute by harsh use of troops 2 : to force into submission or compliance especially by violent measures Examples: The ragtag force, composed mostly of young men dragooned from the surrounding villages, quickly surrendered to the more professional army of its foes. "Too often, when a performer...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 6, 2020 is: agrarian \uh-GRAIR-ee-un\ adjective 1 : of or relating to fields or lands or their tenure 2 a : of, relating to, or characteristic of farmers or their way of life b : organized or designed to promote agricultural interests Examples: "Young children were encouraged to take part in adult activities as soon as they were able.... In agrarian so...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 5, 2020 is: permutation \per-myoo-TAY-shun\ noun 1 : often major or fundamental change (as in character or condition) based primarily on rearrangement of existent elements; also : a form or variety resulting from such change 2 a : the act or process of changing the lineal order of an ordered set of objects b : an ordered arrangement of a set of objects...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 4, 2020 is: mendacious \men-DAY-shus\ adjective : given to or characterized by deception or falsehood or divergence from absolute truth Examples: Students in the class analyze political speeches and learn how to separate exaggerations and mendacious claims from verifiable facts. "The periodical's skeptical approach to advertisers and authority figures...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 3, 2020 is: foible \FOY-bul\ noun 1 : the part of a sword or foil blade between the middle and point 2 : a minor flaw or shortcoming in character or behavior : weakness Examples: "From family foibles to practical jokes to heritage-based barbs, we embrace it all with laughter and shrugs. Everybody's got skeletons in their closet; we might as well laugh....

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 2, 2020 is: cosmeticize \kahz-MET-uh-syze\ verb : to make (something unpleasant or ugly) superficially attractive Examples: The documentary takes a hard look at life in the camp, never once cosmeticizing the experience of its inhabitants. "This time around, [Florian Henckel] von Donnersmarck is striving to deliver an epic that's palatable to wider audi...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 1, 2020 is: redux \ree-DUKS\ adjective : brought back—used postpositively Examples: Following a spell of unseasonably warm weather in late March, April felt like winter redux as temperatures plunged back below freezing. "With No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama facing off in the 'Game of the Century' redux , ticket prices are surging to levels rarely seen acro...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 31, 2019 is: shindig \SHIN-dig\ noun 1 a : a social gathering with dancing b : a usually large or lavish party 2 : fracas , uproar Examples: "In the program notes, director Isaac Lamb says he's aiming for the vibe of a ceilidh —an impromptu Irish shindig with instruments, singing, dancing and booze." — Lee Williams, The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon), 1...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 30, 2019 is: penultimate \pih-NUL-tuh-mut\ adjective 1 : next to the last 2 : of or relating to the next to the last syllable of a word Examples: The penultimate episode of the TV series features some shocking plot twists that set up what will surely be a thrilling series finale. "There aren't too many players in [Major League Baseball] history who co...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 29, 2019 is: gallivant \GAL-uh-vant\ verb 1 informal : to travel, roam, or move about for pleasure 2 dated, informal : to go about usually ostentatiously or indiscreetly with members of the opposite sex Examples: After graduating from college, Maureen spent a year gallivanting all over before coming back home to find a job. "'Star Wars' films have gal...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 28, 2019 is: impervious \im-PER-vee-us\ adjective 1 a : not allowing entrance or passage : impenetrable   b : not capable of being damaged or harmed 2 : not capable of being affected or disturbed Examples: "Because porcelain is impervious  to water, stains and temperature changes, it's a durable and practical choice for high-traffic areas."&...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 27, 2019 is: punctilio \punk-TILL-ee-oh\ noun 1 : a minute detail of conduct in a ceremony or in observance of a code 2 : careful observance of forms (as in social conduct) Examples: "It is hard to write a novel in a Christian setting in such a secular age; 'The End of the Affair' manages to make even the punctilios of Catholic doctrine feel profoundl...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 26, 2019 is: whipsaw \WIP-saw\ verb 1 : to saw with a whipsaw 2 : to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents Examples: The community has been growing steadily safer and more prosperous after years of being whipsawed by climbing crime rates and plunging employment. "In a study...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 25, 2019 is: evergreen \EV-er-green\ adjective 1 : having foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season  2 a : retaining freshness or interest : perennial b : universally and continually relevant : not limited in applicability to a particular event or date Examples: "For years, it was assumed that in order to have...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 24, 2019 is: luminaria \loo-muh-NAIR-ee-uh\ noun : a traditional Mexican Christmas lantern originally consisting of a candle set in sand inside a paper bag Examples: "Mount Vernon Avenue will be illuminated by thousands of luminarias and feature storefront windows hand-painted for the holidays." — The Alexandria (Virginia) Living Magazine ,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 23, 2019 is: discriminate \diss-KRIM-uh-nayt\ verb 1 a : to see the special features of b : to perceive a difference in : differentiate 2 : to distinguish by discerning or exposing differences; especially : to distinguish from another like object 3 : to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit Examples: " Cashless...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 22, 2019 is: fulgent \FULL-jint\ adjective : dazzlingly bright : radiant Examples: "Reigning as queen of the ball was Miss Skylar Nicole Ballard…. Her majesty's regal ensemble included a gown of white silver lace, tulle and regency organza …. Completing the raiment were … the fulgent crown and scepter." — The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate (nola....

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 21, 2019 is: kowtow \KOW-tow\ verb 1 : to show obsequious deference : fawn 2 : to kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in token of homage, worship, or deep respect Examples: "[Cyndi] Lauper wanted a hit record. She wanted one badly after PolyGram dropped her first band Blue Angel following a failed debut in 1980. But she wouldn't kowtow to music...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 20, 2019 is: xenophobia \zen-uh-FOH-bee-uh\ noun : fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign Examples: "George Kennan, who served at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow…, wrote in 1947 that Soviet hostility toward the West was based upon more than Marxist ideology or traditional Russian xenophobia ." — Philip Gold, In...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 19, 2019 is: haggard \HAG-urd\ adjective 1 of a hawk : not tamed 2 a : wild in appearance b : having a worn or emaciated appearance : gaunt Examples: "When I met her at her subsidized apartment in the fall of 2018, she still had the haggard air of someone learning how to use the subway, navigate welfare programs, and raise two children by herself in a...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 18, 2019 is: aught \AWT\ pronoun 1 : anything 2 : all , everything Examples: "Xury said it was a lion, and it might be so, for aught I know...." — Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe , 1719 "All the ways into this grot were then sealed against the entry of water or aught else, all save one." — J. R. R. Tolkien, The Two Towers , 1954 Did you know? "If you kn...