Word of the Day Blog

Word of the Day

Sitooterie

Pronunciation

[sih-TOO-ter-ee]

Popularity Over Time

Part of speech

Noun

Origin

Scottish, 1920s

Definition(s)

1. A small building or area where people can sit outside.

1. A summer house, conservatory, or gazebo.

Used in a sentence

1. The sitooterie was set up for a small afternoon party.
2. She enjoyed being able to relax and read in the sitooterie for hours.

About the Word

Imagine the 1920s with glamorous outdoor garden parties and soirees. Of course, these events would be held in a special place — the sitooterie. This fanciful term was created in Scotland in the 1920s to describe an outdoor sitting area, sometimes a gazebo or other similar structure.

Did you know?

Sitooterie — it's not a nonsense word, but it has a quite sensible structure. We know the word sit; "oot" is out in a Scottish accent, and the suffix "-ery" denotes a place set aside for something. So sitooterie is naturally a place for outdoor sitting.

Word of the Day

Candyfloss

Pronunciation

[KAN-dee-flahs]

Popularity Over Time

Part of speech

Noun

Origin

British English, mid-20^th century

Definition(s)

1. (British) A mass of pink or white fluffy spun sugar wrapped round a stick.
2. Something perceived as lacking in worth or substance.

Used in a sentence

1. She was eating a cloud of candyfloss as big as her head.
2. Her classmates thought she was candyfloss, but she proved them wrong by scoring the highest grade.

About the Word

The two definitions of candyfloss are a great example of metaphor. In one situation you have a fluffy, sugary treat. But if you want to describe someone as insubstantial, you could use a metaphor to call them candyfloss.

Did you know?

In Great Britain it's called candyfloss. In the United States it's cotton candy, and in Australia it's fairy floss. It probably has even more names in other languages, but whatever you call it, it's delicious.

Word of the Day

Extemporaneous

Pronunciation

[ik-stem-pə-RAY-nee-əs]

Popularity Over Time

Part of speech

Adjective

Origin

Latin, late 17^th century

Definition(s)

Spoken or done without preparation.

Used in a sentence

1. I was surprised to be asked to give an extemporaneous speech at the wedding.
2. The director stood up to give a few extemporaneous remarks at the end of the day.

About the Word

Impromptu, spur of the moment, off the cuff — all casual ways to describe an extemporaneous speech. Extemporaneous comes from the Latin "ex tempore," meaning out of time. There's no time to prepare, but you'll improvise.

Did you know?

Members of the high school speech team probably know this word. In an extemporaneous challenge, participants square off in a one-to-one debate on a given topic, with limited time to prepare. They don't know the topic ahead of time, so it's a test of their ability to think on their feet.

Word of the Day

Zephyr

Pronunciation

[ZEFF-er]

Part of speech

Noun

Origin (first known use)

Latin (1567)

Definition(s)

1. a: A breeze from the west.

b: A gentle breeze

2. Any of various lightweight fabrics and articles of clothing.

Used in a sentence

1. There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds.¹
2. Thrown properly, with as little spin as possible, the only forces acting on a knuckleball are gravity and wind. That means any last-second zephyr can knock a knuckler off its path and into the virtual 'box' of a strike zone.²

Did you know?

For centuries, poets have eulogized Zephyrus, the Greek god of the west wind, and his "swete breeth" (in the words of Geoffrey Chaucer). Zephyrus, the personified west wind, eventually evolved into zephyr, a word for a breeze that is westerly or gentle, or both. Breezy zephyr blew into English with the help of poets and playwrights, including William Shakespeare, who used the word in his play Cymbeline: "Thou divine Nature, thou thyself thou blazon'st / In these two princely boys! They are as gentle / As zephyrs blowing below the violet." Today, zephyr is also the sobriquet of a lightweight fabric and the clothing that is made from it.

Word of the Day

Opsimath

Pronunciation

[AHP-sə-math]

Popularity Over Time

Part of speech

Noun

Origin

Greek, late 19^th century

Definition(s)

A person who begins to learn or study only late in life.

Used in a sentence

1. I am proud to call myself an opsimath.
2. He earned his high school diploma at the age of 65, a true opsimath.

About the Word

It makes sense that a word about learning comes from Greek, the language of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. "Opse" means late and "math" means learn, so if you're an opsimath, take pride in your late in life learning.

Did you know?

Opsimath used to be considered an insult, but opinions have shifted, and now it's a point of pride. If you decide to earn a degree later in life, or you take up a new skill in retirement, give yourself a pat on the back!

Word of the Day

Prognosticate

Pronunciation

[prog-nos-ti-keyt]

Part of speech

Verb

Origin

Middle English, 1375-1425

Definition(s)

1. Used with object
   1. To forecast or predict (something future) from present indications or signs; prophesy.
   2. To foretoken; presage
      1. Birds prognosticating spring
2. Used without object
   1. To make a forecast; prophesy

Used in a sentence

1. Palm readers claim to prognosticate your major life events based on the lines in your palm.
2. Meteorologists prognosticate the weather from one day to the next.

Antonyms & Synonyms

• Synonyms
  • Augur
  • Call
  • Forecast
  • Foretell
  • Predict
  • Presage
  • Prophesy
  • Read
  • Vaticinate

Did you know?

Prognosticate, which comes from the Greek prognōstikos (foretelling), first appeared in English during the 15th century. Since that time, prognosticate has been connected with things that give omens or warnings of events to come and with people who can prophesy or predict the future by such signs. Shakespeare used the prophesy sense of prognosticate in the sonnet that begins Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck:

"From thine eyes my knowledge I derive,

And constant stars in them I read such art

...of thee this I prognosticate,

Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date."

Word of the Day

Consanguineous

Pronunciation

[kon-sang-gwin-ee-uh s]

Part of speech

Adjective

Origin

Latin, 1595-1605

Definition(s)

Having the same ancestry or descent; related by blood.

Used in a sentence

1. John has three consanguineous sisters and 2 stepbrothers.
2. Her consanguineous brother was finally getting married.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

• Biological
• Birth
• Natural

Antonyms

• Adopted
• Adoptive
• Nonbiological

Did you know?

Consanguineous is part of a family of "blood" relatives that all descend from the Latin noun sanguis, meaning "blood." Some of these relatives are found on the literal branch of the family tree, as "exsanguination," a term for the draining or removal of blood. Others are on the figurative side of the family, such as "sanguine," a word that can mean "bloodred" or "ruddy" but that is more often used with the meaning "cheerful" or "optimistic." There is also "sangfroid," a French word (literally meaning "cold blood") that was borrowed into English to refer to self-control under stress. "Consanguineous" relies on the "kinship" sense of "blood," bringing together "sanguis" with the Latin prefix con-, meaning "with," to form a word used to describe two or more organisms that descend from the same ancestor.

Word of the Day

Rhapsody

Pronunciation

[RAP-sə-dee]

Popularity Over Time

Part of speech

Noun

Origin

Greek, mid-16^th century

Definition(s)

1. An effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling.
2. A free instrumental composition in one extended movement, typically one that is emotional or exuberant in character.

Used in a sentence

1. The story captured the rhapsody of first love and all the emotion that goes along with it.
2. He wrote a rhapsody inspired by the colors of the blooming spring garden.

About the Word

As a song, a rhapsody is exuberant and bold, full of feeling. It’s written as one instrumental composition. But you can also apply rhapsody outside of the music world. You might recognize “rhapsodies of praise” or a “rhapsody of spring.” Any expression of intense emotions and enthusiasm can be a rhapsody.

Did you know?

In Ancient Greece, a rhapsody was an epic poem, usually recited in one sitting. Over the years, a rhapsody became a song instead of a poem, but still exuberant and often quite long. You can find rhapsodies all throughout the history of classical music and even in more modern forms, like Queen’s epic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Word of the Day

Boreen

Pronunciation

[boh-REEN]

Part of speech

Noun

Origin

Irish, mid-19^th century

Definition(s)

A narrow country road.

Used in a sentence

1. Go down that boreen for about a mile, and you'll find his house on the right.
2. They avoided highways for their entire trip in Ireland, sticking to local roads and boreens.

About the Word

If you're planning a trip to Ireland, you might want to learn a few words of Irish, as it's the primary language spoken by many of its inhabitants. When you ask for directions, you're likely to be sent down a boreen. The word for a country path comes from the Irish word "bóthar," or road.

Did you know?

The Irish language, also known as Gaeilge, is the national language of Ireland. It is sometimes referred to as Gaelic in English, but that's not exactly correct. According to the European Union, Gaelic is the Celtic language group of Ireland and Scotland. So, Irish is the native language of Ireland, and it traveled to Scotland, where it became Gaelic.

Word of the Day

Tiffin

Pronunciation

[TIH-fihn]

Popularity Over Time

Part of speech

Noun

Origin

Indian, early 19^th century

Definition(s)

1. A light meal, especially lunch.
2. A type of lunchbox.

Used in a sentence

1. Would you like to join us for a tiffin before you leave?
2. My husband always packs up the leftovers in a tiffin for me to take to work for lunch.

About the Word

As a noun, a tiffin is a small snack, or possibly the box used to carry your lunch. Then you could use it as a verb for eating that light midday meal. The roots are in English, but India has adopted the term, and it's primarily used there today.

Did you know?

Tiff is an old-fashioned English term for taking a small sip of something. When Great Britain colonized India, the word tiffin made the leap as well, used for a snack or light lunch. It's stayed primarily an Indian term, even serving as the name of a stackable type of lunchbox.

Word of the Day

Quidnunc

Pronunciation

[kwid-nuhngk]

Part of speech

Noun

Origin

Latin, 1709

Definition(s)

A person who is eager to know the latest news and gossip; a gossip or busybody.

Used in a sentence

1. He even becomes a quidnunc, prying now and then into the personal affairs of his superiors.
2. We at last had a quorum of quidnuncs and enough material to while away a long lunch hour with the arrival of our other friend.

Did you know?

What's new? That's a question every busybody wants answered. Latin-speaking Nosey Parkers might have used some version of the expression "quid nunc," literally "what now," to ask the same question. Appropriately, the earliest documented English use of "quidnunc" to refer to a gossiper appeared in 1709 in Sir Richard Steele's famous periodical, The Tatler. Steele is far from the only writer to ply "quidnunc" in his prose, however. You also can find the word among the pages of works by such writers as Washington Irving and Nathaniel Hawthorne. But don't think the term is old news - it sees some use in current publications, too.

Word of the Day

Caduceus

Caducei (plural)

Pronunciation

[kuh-DOO-see-us]

Example

Part of speech

Noun

Origin

Latin, 1585-95

Definition(s)

1. The symbolic staff of a herald; specifically: a representation of a staff with two entwined snakes and two wings at the top.
2. A medical insignia bearing a representation of a staff with two entwined snakes and two wings at the top.
3. One sometimes used to symbolize a physician but often considered to be an erroneous representation.
4. The emblem of a medical corps or a department of the armed services (as of the United States Army).

Used in a sentence

1. Striding back to the kitchen, he deliberately removed the caduceus magnet and centered the picture on the refrigerator door – eye level.
2. The Caduceus of Hermes, symbol of the medical profession.

Did you know?

The Greek god Hermes, who served as herald and messenger to the other gods, carried a winged staff entwined with two snakes. The staff of Aesculapius, the god of healing, had one snake and no wings. The word caduceus, from Latin, is a modification of Greek karykeion, from karyx, meaning "herald." Strictly speaking, caduceus should refer only to the staff of the herald-god Hermes (Mercury to the Romans), but in practice the word is often applied to the one-snake staff as well. You might logically expect the staff of Aesculapius to be the symbol of the medical profession—and indeed, that is the symbol used by the American Medical Association. But you will also quite frequently see the true caduceus used as a medical symbol.

Word of the Day

Animalcule

Pronunciation

[an-ə-MAL-kyool]

Popularity Over Time

Part of speech

Noun

Origin

Latin, late 16^th century

Definition(s)

A microscopic animal.

Used in a sentence

1. You'll have to use the microscope to see this animalcule.
2. The discovery of the new animalcule was cause for celebration.

About the Word

Don’t focus on the “animal” part of this word. “Cule” is what really matters, and it means tiny. The earliest microbiologists studied what they called animalcules under microscopes. Today they’re more likely called microbes.

Did you know?

In the late 1600s, scientists began to use microscopes to examine the minute creatures present in water. Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek called them “dierken,” which was translated into English as animalcule, or tiny animal. This term was eventually replaced by microbes around the late 1800s.

Word of the Day

Habile

Pronunciation

[HA-bəl]

Popularity Over Time

Part of speech

Adjective

Origin

Latin, 15^th century

Definition(s)

1. Deft.
2. Skillful.

Used in a sentence

1. She whipped up a tasty dinner with just a few habile steps.
2. The habile seamstress was in high demand for wedding dress alterations.

About the Word

In Latin, "habilis" means something is easily handled. The French word "habile" means skillful, and we kept that definition in Middle English as well. Able is the more common word today, but habile remains a particularly skillful word.

Did you know?

In today's parlance, you're more likely to use the word able rather than habile. The pronunciations are somewhat similar, and the meanings are close. Able implies you have at least the basic ability to do something. But to be habile is to be quite talented.

Word of the Day

Cully

Pronunciation

[kə-lee]

Popularity Over Time

Part of speech

Noun

Origin

Unknown, mid-17^th century

Definition(s)

1. (often as a form of address) a man; a friend.
2. A form of address denoting a person who is imposed upon.

Used in a sentence

1. Cully! — Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee?
2. The young cully was a gullible target for pranks by his friends.

About the Word

Cully is a slightly old-fashioned alternative to calling out, "Hey, bro!" It's a term for a male friend, usually used as a greeting or form of address. Give it a try if you're getting tired of bro, dude, buddy, or chap.

Did you know?

There's probably a cully in every group. While sometimes cully is just a young man, there's also an implication that this fellow is somewhat gullible and often the butt of the joke.

Word of the Day

Fugacious

Pronunciation

[fyoo-GEY-shəs]

Popularity Over Time

Part of speech

Adjective

Origin

Latin, mid-17^th century

Definition(s)

1. Tending to disappear.
2. Fleeting.

Used in a sentence

1. Cookies are quite fugacious in my house.
2. The hummingbird made a fugacious stop on my flowers.

About the Word

Fugacious is often used in an ephemeral sense — your sadness is fugacious and better times are around the corner. Or it can be used in a physical sense. A gardener might describe a plant with falling leaves as fugacious.

Did you know?

The Latin "fugere" means to flee. Other words that come from this same root include subterfuge, fugitive, and refuge. Just think of the movie "The Fugitive," and you'll never forget the definition of fugacious.

Word of the Day

Biblioklept

Pronunciation

[bib-lee-uh-klept]

Part of speech

Noun

Origin

Greek, 1880-85

Definition(s)

A person who steals books.

Used in a sentence

1. Many eminent characters have been Biblioklepts.
2. This sentence has naturally caused us to reflect on the ethical character of the biblioklept.

About the Word

Biblioklept is, in at least some sense of the word, fairly useless. It is two syllables longer than book thief. It is also unlikely to be understood by some portion of the people with whom you use it, and so cannot be said to aid in communication. Happily, we do not have a merit-based vocabulary, and words that are useless have the same rights of inclusion as do those that are useful.