Word of the Day

Infodemic is a noun that refers to a massive amount of information on a topic that leads to confusion. Derived from the words information and epidemic, our word of the day is a very recent addition to the English language. It describes the state of having too much information. Gary found himself in the middle of an infodemic last weekend. Drowning in too much data, he had to get away from it all b...

Solemnity is a noun that refers to a formal observance. The Latin word sollemnitas (so LEM knee tass) means ‘festival.’ Our word of the day can be used to refer to the state or quality of being serious or dignified or it may refer to a dignified rite or ceremony. Here’s an example of the latter: In my first week in Spain we attended a lovely solemnity held in a cathedral. Those kinds of observance...

Bestrew is a verb that means to cover a surface with scattered objects. Coming from Old English, our word of the day may have had its roots in proto-Germanic. For Halloween, the kids love it when we bestrew candy corn all over the table. But cleaning up all that scattered candy, on the other hand, can be a pain.

Ramify is a verb that means to spread or branch out. The Latin word ramus (RAH moose) means ‘branch.’ Its English counterpart may be used in reference to nature or it may be used in a more metaphorical sense. For example: We’d like to see the orchestra ramify into many different groups. While it can sometimes be painful for a group to split up like this, branching into new areas is, in the end, th...

Montane is an adjective that means inhabiting mountainous areas. Our word of the day shares its origin with the origin of mountains, which comes from the Latin mons (MOANS). Montane is simply an adjective that describes anything regarding mountains. It’s typically used in reference to things inhabiting a mountainous countryside. The montane grass in that area is a strange shade of pale blue. But a...

Psychogenic is an adjective that means originating in the mind. The prefix P-S-Y-C-H-O comes from Greek and refers to the mind or the soul. Genic is also Greek and refers to ‘origin’ or ‘source.’ A psychogenetic condition originates in the mind as opposed to a physical source. The doctor suggested my flu symptoms were psychogenic and I understand why. It seems pretty clear that my mind would want...

Autotelic is an adjective that means not driven by external factors. The word auto comes from Greek, meaning ‘self,’ while telos (TAY los) also from Greek, means ‘end.’ Our word of the day is often used to describe an activity or creative work that has a purpose in itself. All those push-ups and sit-ups we did in the army seemed to be autotelic to me. We never used any of those activities for any...

Idiopathic is an adjective that means of unknown causes. The prefix of our word of the day, I-D-I-O comes from the Greek word meaning ‘one’s own’ or ‘private.’ And ‘pathic’ comes from the Greek word pathos (PA thos) meaning suffering. So an idiopathic condition is one that comes from an unknown source. I’m no doctor, but Elena’s insomnia seemed to be idiopathic in nature. There didn’t seem to...

Urticate is a verb that means to sting. The Latin word urtica (OOR tea cah) means ‘sting.’ Our word of the day has evolved from this word and maintained its same basic meaning. Urticate is often used when applied by a plant. For example: I was so worried that those exotic plants we saw in the jungle would urticate me that I didn’t notice the snakes at my ankle. You really have to be on your toes i...

Ignoble is an adjective that means not honorable. The root word of ignoble is noble, which comes from the Latin word nobilis (KNOW bee lease) meaning ‘high-born.’ As time went by, the word’s definition shifted to mean ‘honorable.’ With our word of the day, the prefix I-G was added and it meant ‘not honorable.’ Terry’s ignoble behavior caused him to be fired from his job at the bank. Embezzlem...

Adjutant is a noun that refers to an assistant. The Latin word adjuvare (ad joo VARE ay) means ‘to assist.’ Our word of the day has evolved from this word, first in reference to a military officer acting as an assistant to a senior officer. Later the word came to refer to any kind of an assistant. For example: When I first took the job of manager’s adjutant, I assumed I’d be in charge of the depar...

Passel is a noun that refers to a large group of indeterminate number. Our word of the day began as an alternate pronunciation of the word parcel, which means a large collection of things to be carried or sent by mail. By the mid 19th century, it became a word of its own, maintaining its same definition. The passel of reporters gathered at the door made it difficult to enter our workplace. Having...

Scud is a verb that means to move fast as if driven by the wind. It can also be used a noun to refer to the act of moving swiftly. The origin of scud is unclear, but we know it entered English in the mid 16th century and has retained its meaning ever since. Watching those birds scud through the air was a breathtaking sight. It’s rare that you see something in nature travel that quickly.

Arrant is an adjective that means complete or utter. Coming from Middle English, our word of the day was often used to describe someone on a journey. It would sometimes refer to a criminal, as in an arrant thief. Its meaning has shifted over time and more recently, it has become a synonym of word like ‘complete’ or ‘absolute.’ My wife feared that without anything to do all day, I’d become an arran...

Enfeeble is a verb that means to make weak. The root word of our word of the day is feeble, which comes from the Latin word flebilis (FLAY bill eese) which means ‘lamentable.’ It later came to mean ‘weak’ or ‘lacking in strength.’ When something is enfeebled, it is made weaker. Example: Rodney was afraid his cold would enfeeble him on the football field, and sadly, he was right. In his weakened st...

Silt is a noun that refers to a deposit of sediment. It can also be used as a verb to mean ‘become filled or black with silt.’ Coming from Middle English, our word of the day is used to describe a fine sand or other material carried by running water and deposited as a sediment. Here’s an example of it in use: We found what we were seeking under a layer of silt. It can be difficult to locate items...

Seedbed is a noun that refers to a place of development. A combination of two common English words, seedbed, when used literally, refers to a bed of soil in which seedlings are grown. When used metaphorically, it can refer to any place of development. Example: That university I attended became a seedbed of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. There were so many great minds developed there that it came to...

Canaille is a noun that refers to the common people or the masses. The Italian word canaglia (ca NAHL ya) was originally interpreted as ‘a pack of dogs.’ After being imported into English, it came to refer to a lowly group of people, or the masses. Example: Arthur always prided himself on his upscale taste in music. He didn’t care for the wild dance music of the canaille. He regarded anything fun...

Download the Volley. FM app for more short daily shows!

Maladaptive is an adjective that means not conducive to adaptation. The root word of the our word of the day is ‘adapt,’ from the Latin word aptus,(AP toos) which means ‘to fit.’ The Latin prefix M-A-L means ‘bad’ or ‘badly’ as in malnourished or malpractice. In the case of maladaptive, it means not providing appropriate adjustment to the environment. Our cat Tabby had a temperament that was malad...

Parvenu is a noun that refers to an unknown person who has become rich and famous. The Latin word pervenire (per ven EAR ay) means ‘to reach.’ Entering the language in the early 19th century, the word has come to mean someone of obscure origin who has gained wealth or influence. The word is often used in a derogatory manner. My dad doesn’t do much on social media because he has no desire to become...

Fountainhead is a noun that refers to the origin of something. After entering the English language in the 16th century, our word of the day came to refer to the original source of a river. More recently it’s come to be used metaphorically, as in: Chuck’s firing was the fountainhead of our movement. When we saw him being unfairly dismissed, we realized something had to be done.

Numismatic is an adjective that means monetary or related to currency. The Greek word nomisma (NO meese ma) means ‘coin.’ Our word of the day describes any kind of currency or medals or it may describe currency in general. For example: As much as I enjoyed getting a free chicken for my labor while working in a Guatemalan village, I was hoping my payment would be numismatic. A chicken may be g...

Bellwether is a noun that refers to an indicator or predictor of something. Coming from Middle English, our word of the day began as a term for a sheep that lead the flock. More recently it’s used to refer to something that predicts a trend or new direction. Example: I hope my son’s funky mustache isn’t a bellwether of trends in facial hair. As someone who survived the 70s, I wouldn’t like to see...

Ne plus ultra is a noun that refers to the highest point attainable. Our word of the day comes directly from a Latin phrase that translates to ‘not further beyond.’ It basically indicates the ultimate or best of something. Example: Ralph began his music career as a mediocre guitarist, but after years of hard work and study, he became the ne plus ultra of rock guitarists.