Word of the Day

Redact is a verb that means to edit for public consumption. Our word of the day comes from the Latin word redactus (ray DACT oos), which means ‘reduced.’ When we redact information, we reduce the amount of it. For example: The senator felt compelled to redact the names of those involved in the scandal. But later, voters were outraged to learn that those names had been edited out of the report.

Promontory is a noun that refers to a cliff that extends into a large body of water. Our word of the day is derived from the Latin word prominēre (pro min AIR ay) which means ‘jut forward.’ Promontory is related to the word prominent as in a prominent nose. In the same sense that a prominent nose juts out, a promontory is a point of land that juts out into a body of water.

Unstinted is an adjective that means given without restraint. Stint, the root word of our word of the day, is of Old English origin and means ‘to shorten or restrict,’ so when something is unstinted, it is unrestricted, as in: The unstinted access we had to the studio was very helpful. There should never be restrictions placed on an artist’s creativity.

Outre is an adjective that means unusual or unconventional. The French word outre (OOH tray) is a verb that means to go beyond. Our word of the day is used to describe things that go beyond conventional behavior. For example: Monique’s unusual attire was very inventive, but it was a little too outre for those at the church picnic. Such eccentric clothing is probably best reserved for a different c...

Hebdomadal is an adjective that means occurring every week. The Greek word Hepta (HEPT ah) means seven. So when our word of the day drifted into English, it came to refer to a period of seven days that we call a week. A hebdomadal activity is something that takes place weekly. For example: Our hebdomadal meetings are a very helpful way to get things in order. That’s why I recommended weekly m...

Interstitial is an adjective that means occurring during an interval or between spaces. The Latin word interstitium (een tear STEET ee um) means ‘interval.’ Anything interstitial takes place during an interval. I enjoyed the bands that performed at the festival last week, but I enjoyed the interstitial music played over the loudspeakers even more. Sometimes music played between bands can upst...

Neologism is a noun that refers to a newly coined word. Our word of the day combines the Greek prefix N-E-O for ‘new’ and the suffix L-O-G-O for ‘word.’ Neologism itself is not a particularly new word. It’s been around since the early 19th century. It’s always interesting to keep up with neologisms. The addition of new words to any language fascinates me.

Verklempt is an adjective that means overcome with emotion. Our word of the day comes from the Yiddish word for ‘depressed’ or ‘grieving,’ but later came to be used in more prosaic contexts, like in reference to a person who is ‘choked up’ in the moment. It was difficult for Detective Jones to get information from the witness because of how verklempt she was at the time. She was so choked up, the...

Cutaneous is an adjective that means related to the skin. The Latin word cutis (KOO tis) means ‘skin.’ Our word of the day is often used in a medical context. The patient suffered from cutaneous injuries, but we are confident that damage done to her skin can be healed.

Abecedarian is a noun that refers to someone who is beginning to learn something. Our word of the day’s origin comes literally from the ABCs. It was initially used to refer to people learning the alphabet, so its first six letters are a loose approximation of A-B-C-D-E. When it comes to bowling, Erica was an abecedarian, so I was patient with her unimpressive first few outings at the sport. After...

Rictus is a noun that refers to a gaping mouth. Our word of the day comes directly from Latin where it is translated into ‘open mouth.’ A person’s rictus refers to their mouth made wide open, usually in disgust or horror. I didn’t know what had happened before I entered the room, but I could tell by Leslie’s rictus that something horrific had taken place. The grimace on her face made me shiver.

Firebrand is a noun that refers to one who agitates in support of a cause. Our word of the day began in the 13th century as a term for a type — or ‘brand’ — of wood that was used to start or maintain fires. By the 14th century it had become used to refer to agitators for a cause. My grandmother was a firebrand for equal rights in her day. She would give passionate speeches in support of her causes...

Inure is a verb that means to become accustomed to something unpleasant. Our word of the day’s origin is from the Latin word opera (OH per uh) which means ‘work.’ From there it evolved into a word that means ‘to become accustomed to.’ Inure is generally used with a subject, meaning we usually become inured to something, as in: I didn’t like coming in at six and working until two in the morning, bu...

Exfiltrate is a verb that means to withdraw people from a dangerous position. Our word of the day could be thought of as the opposite of ‘infiltrate,’ a word of Latin origin that means to secretly place people in an organization. To exfiltrate people means to secretly remove them. Both exfiltrate and infiltrate are often used in reference to spies or militaries. After learning it was no longer saf...

Hubris is a noun that refers to excessive pride or self-confidence. Our word of the day comes from the Ancient Greeks and began to appear is English around the late 19th and early 20th century. The word may be used to refer to the excessive self-confidence of an individual or a group of individuals, for example: We had a number of great players on our high school team. But our collective hubris ma...

Dilettante is a noun that refers to an amateur or someone who dabbles in a particular field. The Italian word dilettare (dill ay TAR ay) means ‘to delight.’ A dilettante is someone who does a particular thing because they delight in it — not because they are seeking a career in it. I enjoyed that band I played in during high school, mainly because I was only in it for the enjoyment — not the money...

Allusive is an adjective that means made by hinting or suggesting. Our word of the day comes from the Latin word ludere (LOO dair ay) which means ‘play.’ When we allude to something, we are being playful or hinting about it. An allusive comment is something usually hinted at instead of being stated directly. When my co-workers made some allusive joke about how we might need less space in the offic...

Clemency is a noun that refers to leniency or mercy. The Latin word clementia (klay MEN see uh) means ‘calm’ or ‘mild.’ When someone remains calm when considering punishment, the result is usually mercy in the form of a less severe punishment. The judge used clemency when sentencing the guilty man. He felt that considering the man’s difficult background, a certain amount of leniency was called for...

Turbid is an adjective that means murky or unclear. The Latin word turba (TOUR buh) means ‘a crowd.’ When something is turbid, it is thick and muddy like a crowd. As a kid I often experimented with mixing up all kinds of beverages into my milkshakes, but the results were so turbid, I didn’t dare take a drink. I was no doctor, but I knew anything that murky and unclear had no business in my belly.

Ocular is an adjective that means visual or related to the eye. The Latin word oculus (OH coo loose) means ‘eye.’ The word may refer to vision as in: Seeing that documentary provided ocular proof to me that a career in sports journalism was possible. But ocular may also mean ‘related to the eye’ in a way that doesn’t pertain to vision, as in: The patient suffered from ocular pain for weeks before...

Approbation is a noun that refers to approval or praise. The Latin word probus (PRO boose) means ‘good.’ You could think of something that has gotten approbation as something that has been deemed good. After all the bad reviews I received for my first novel, it felt wonderful to get so much approbation for my second. Finally, the critics have approved of my writing.

Redound is a verb that means to contribute greatly to. Our word of the day comes from the Latin word redundare (ree done DAR ay) which means, ‘to overflow.’ This word later evolved into redound which is used to mean ‘to lead to’ or ‘contribute to.’ My daughter was frustrated by the ‘b’ she got on her science project, but I’m convinced that her hard work ethic will redound to her success.

Disquietude is a noun that refers to a state of anxiety. The root word of disquietude is ‘quiet,’ a word of Latin origin that means ‘silent’ or ‘calm.’ When we disquiet a person or place, we disturb the peace and create uneasiness or disquietude. I noticed a disquietude when I entered the office that morning. I didn’t know what had caused such anxiety, but I had a feeling the day wouldn’t be pleas...

Synergy is a noun that refers to the interaction of more than one agent. Our word of the day’s origin is from the Greek word sunergos (SUN er gose) which means ‘working together.’ The word is used to refer to cases when the sum of different people working together creates something greater than their separate effects. For example: Our first two albums were lots of fun, but our third album is when...

Furtive is an adjective that means attempting to avoid notice or attention. The Latin word furtum (FOOR tomb) means theft. Our word of the day began with this meaning and, over time, evolved into its present meaning of ‘secretive’ or ‘hidden.’ Furtive can sometimes be used to convey a sense of guilty nervousness, as in: My diet prevents me from having anything loaded with sugar. But it didn’t stop...