Word of the Day

Desideratum is a noun that refers to ‘something that is desired or wanted.’ The origin or desideratum is directly from Latin. It translates into the two words ‘something desired.’ An example of its use is: In spite of all Harvey’s quest for money, his desideratum in life remained the protection of his family. To him, that is what mattered more than anything else.

Faustian is an adjective that means ‘done without regard for future cost.’ Our word of the day has its basis in the mythical tale of an astronomer named Faust reputed to have sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for wealth. More recently, the adjective Faustian is used to describe anyone who makes an exchange that involves a huge sacrifice. Maria described the process of becoming famous as makin...

En masse is an adverb that means ‘in a group’ or ‘all together.’ Our word of the day comes directly from French. It translates to ‘in a mass.’ For example: when we approached our supervisor one at a time, we didn’t get much respect. But approaching him en masse seemed to make him nervous enough to surrender to our demands.

Sere is an adjective that means ‘dry’ or ‘without moisture.’ Our word of the day comes directly from Old English as a verb that meant ‘to burn something.’ It was a synonym of words like ‘scorch’ or ‘singe.’  Sere is often used to describe a desert or withered vegetation. For example: It’s a shame no one took care of the old garden at Kelly’s house. Everything has become all dried up and sere.

Abeyance is a noun that refers to ‘a state of disuse or suspension.’ Our word of the day began in Latin as the word Baer (BUY er) which meant ‘having ones mouth wide open,’ a condition we associate with being suspended or waiting for something. By the late 16th century, the word became adopted into English where its meaning shifted into a state of not being used. Example: The abeyance of that fiel...

Torsion is a noun that refers to ‘the act of twisting.’ The Latin word torquere (tork WHERE ay) means ‘to twist.’ Torsion is a versatile word that has a use in medicine as well as mathematics where it refers to the extent to which a curve departs from being planar. But in ordinary English it can simply refer to any act of twisting. For example: At grandpa’s age, he really shouldn’t be twisting the...

Lour is a verb that means ‘to be dark and gloomy.’ It can also be a noun that refers to ‘a scowl.’ The origin of our word of the day is unknown. But in its use it can be helpful to describe weather or a look on someone’s face. An example of its use as a verb is: Watching my daughter lour at  me during the entire game gave me the impression that she was no fan of hockey. Here’s an example of i...

Rubicon is a noun that means ‘an action that once done cannot be reversed.’ Our word of the day was named after a river in Ancient Rome that was used as a border. At one point it was decreed by Julius Caesar that crossing the Rubicon was a violation of the law. We now use the word to describe an act that once done, cannot be undone — just like crossing the Rubicon. For example: When Tommy deleted...

Caliginous is an adjective that means ‘obscure’ or ‘murky.’ Coming to English in the mid-16th century, our word of the day originated in Latin, where it means ‘misty.’ In recent years, its meaning has broadened to also mean ‘dim’ or ‘obscure.’ For example: The caliginous sky didn’t make for the most ideal conditions, but it certainly looked cool. That murky look would be a perfect opening for a va...

Brumous is an adjective that means ‘foggy and wintry.’ The Latin word bruma (BROOM uh) refers to ‘winter.’ Our word of the day was imported into English in the Mid 19th century. An example of its use in a sentence: The brumous atmosphere on the campsite added to the sense of mystique. All that fog and crisp air made me feel I had stumbled into something scary and intriguing.

Synesthesia is a noun that refers to a condition where one sense is replaced by another. The Latin prefix S-Y-N means ‘with.’ While the rest of the word comes from the Greek word ‘asthesis’ (EYE es tha tease) which refers to ‘sensation.’ When someone has synesthesia they often replace one kind of sensation with another. This sometimes means they see certain colors when they hear certain words. An...

Facticity is a noun that refers to the quality or being a fact. Our word of the day simply comes from the word ‘fact’ and adds the sufix ‘I-C-I-T-Y.’ Together, they refer to the condition of being a fact. Example: Our team’s defeat may have been hard to accept, but we had to accept it. The facticity of the loss was something we simply had to deal with.

Consilience is a noun that refers to the overlap between different fields of study. Our word of the day combines the Latin prefix C-O-N, meaning ‘together,’ and ‘silient,’ (SEE lee ant) meaning ‘to leap.’ Together they get a word that refers to ‘leaping’ or working together. This book would not have been possible without the consilience of the science department and the art department. There’s no...

Megapolis is a noun that refers to a very large, heavy populated area. Our word of the day comes from Greek words for ‘very large’ and ‘city.’ In fact, in Ancient Greece there was a city named megalopolis, a word that survives today and is another way of saying megapolis. Either word may be used to describe a large city or a group of cities that when added together becomes very large. Example: I h...

Implacable is an adjective that means unstoppable or relentless. The origin of our word of the day is the Latin word placare (pla CAR ay) which means ‘to calm’ or ‘to soothe.’ The prefix I-M is used to indicate ‘not’ or in this case, ‘cannot be.’ Something that cannot be calmed or soothed is implacable. For example: Our team’s implacable spirit may have been the reason we won the championship. We...

Muliebrity is a noun that refers to womanly qualities. The Latin word MOOL lee air) means ‘woman.’ It’s the origin of our word of the day which has been around since the late 16th century and although it is less commonly used today, it can be spotted in literary or poetic works or conversations. For example: Nancy is the epitome of muliebrity. She has a sense of grace that lightens up any room.

Equipollent is an adjective that means equal in power and effect. The Latin word pollere (poe LARE ay) means ‘to be strong.’ Our word of the day combines that with the prefix E-Q-U-I, which means ‘equally.’ When things or people are equipollent, they are equal in power. For example: The nations engaged in trade were not exactly equipollent. One was a third world country in desperate need of food....

Ordonnance is a noun that refers to the systematic arrangement of parts. Our word of the day came from French, where it was basically a synonym of words like ‘configuration’ or ‘arrangement.’ An example of its use is: The ordonnance of the chapters in that book really confused me. It seemed like an odd way to arrange the story if you want it to make any sense.

Salvo is a noun that refers to a sudden, aggressive act or series of acts. The Latin word salve (SOLVE ay) translates into ‘good health,’ but it was mainly used as a greeting — much like the Italian word salute (sah LOOT ay). Because the discharge of a gun became a way of saluting, salvo came to refer to a shot. Today a salvo is most commonly used to refer to a metaphorical ‘shot’ someone takes, f...

Balkanize is a verb that means to break into smaller regions. The origin of our word of the day comes from the Turkish word ‘Balkan,’ which means ‘mountain.’ It came to refer to a region in Southeastern Europe that includes Albania, Greece, Romania and the European portion or Turkey. The decline of the Ottoman Empire of the 18th century led to a series of revolts that fractured the region into ins...

Moil is a verb that means to work hard. Moil can also be used as a noun that refers to ‘hard work.’ Our word of the day comes from the Latin word molis (MOW lease) which means ‘soft.’ As the word evolved into English, its meaning shifted to ‘hard work.’ My grandfather had to moil for many years in a coal mine. I’m happy that all that hard word paid off with a successful family.

Hypethral is an adjective that means ‘having no roof or open to the sky.’ The Greek prefix H-Y-P-O means ‘under.’ When combined with the Greek word aither (EYE there) which means ‘air,’ we get a word that means under the air or heavens. I’m not sure whose brilliant idea it was to build a hypethral arena in Seattle, but they must not have been aware of the weather here. Having a roof would act...

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Taproot is a noun that refers to ‘the place of future development or growth.’ When used literally, a taproot simply refers to a root from a tree that grows vertically downward and creates more, smaller roots. Metaphorically, it can mean a place where growth has taken place. For example: That section of town became a taproot for business in the city. After few businesses succeeded, others floc...

Limn is a verb that means ‘to describe in words.’ The Latin word illuminare (ee loom in ARE ay) means ’to shine.’ It’s related to English words like ‘illuminate.’ When we illuminate something in a literal sense, we shine light on it. We when do so figuratively, we describe it or bring it to life. That’s how our word of the day came to have its meaning. Because I couldn’t quite limn the strange pai...