rectitude - Word of the Day - 31/03/18

rectitude

noun

Pronunciation

REK-tuh-tood 

Definition

1 : the quality or state of being straight

2 : moral integrity : righteousness

3 : the quality or state of being correct in judgment or procedure

Did You Know?

Rectitude has a righteous derivation. It comes straight from the Latin adjective rectus, which means both "right" and "straight." Rectitude itself can mean either "straightness" (an early use referred to literal straightness of lines, although this sense is now rare) or "rightness" of character. Rectus has a number of other descendants in English, including rectangle (a figure with four right angles), rectify ("to make right"), rectilinear ("moving in or forming a straight line"), and even rectus itself (a medical term for any one of several straight muscles in the body).

Examples

As treasurer of the organization, she advocated a kind of fiscal rectitude that is widely credited with saving the organization from financial ruin.

"Integrity doesn't demand flawlessness, but it does require the kind of moral rectitude that enables one to quickly assume responsibility for one's errors, to say 'I was wrong and I am sorry.'" — Jill Filipovic, Mother Jones, 8 Feb. 2018

Test Your Vocabulary

Fill in the blanks to complete a noun referring to "lack of integrity or rectitude": i _ _ r _ b _ t _.

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manticore - Word of the Day - 29/02/18

manticore

noun

Pronunciation

MAN-tih-kor

Definition

: a legendary animal with the head of a man, the body of a lion, and the tail of a dragon or scorpion

Did You Know?

A mythical creature of ancient fables, the manticore keeps company with the better-known unicorn, dragon, and griffin. Descriptions of the manticore's features sometimes differ (some accounts mention porcupine quills or poisonous spikes, for example; others depict the tail as having a serpent's head), but the animal is by all accounts a dreadful beast. The word manticore came to English through the Greek mantichōras and Latin mantichora, and is probably ultimately of Iranian origin. Etymologists think it is related to an Old Persian word for "man-eater."

Examples

The recently unearthed stela depicts a manticore and several other frightening and fantastic creatures.

"Here be dragons. Also a cacophony of bird calls, a stunning painting of a stinky plant, and everything you always wanted to know about the manticore (part man, part lion, all the rage in 1658) but were too historically uninformed to ask." — Karla Peterson, The San Diego Union Tribune, 27 Aug. 2016

Test Your Vocabulary

What does the mythical hippogriff look like?



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delegate - Word of the Day - 28/02/18

delegate

verb

Pronunciation

DEL-uh-gayt 

Definition

1 : to entrust to another

2 : to appoint as one's representative

3 : to assign responsibility or authority

Did You Know?

To delegate is, literally or figuratively, to send another in one's place, an idea that is reflected in the word's origin; it is a descendant of Latin legare, meaning "to send as an emissary." Other English words that can be traced back to legare include legate ("an emissary usually having official status"), legacy, colleague, and relegate. (The related Latin noun legatus refers to an ambassador, deputy, or provincial governor.) The noun delegate, meaning "a person acting for another," was in use in English by the 15th century, with the verb first appearing in the 16th century.

Examples

"He said the current board seems to delegate rather than take input and make decisions based on what the community wants…." — Derek Lacey, BlueRidgeNow.com (Henderson, North Carolina), 14 Feb. 2018

"What's appropriate for your boss to delegate to you, and what's not? Especially when your boss asks you to do simple tasks—as in: very basic duties that are part of their job—they're walking a thin line between what's fair for you to do and what's not." — The Cut, 9 Feb. 2018

Name That Synonym

Fill in the blanks to complete a synonym of the verb delegate: de _ u _ _.
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grandiose - Word of the Day - 27/02/18

grandiose

adjective

Pronunciation

gran-dee-OHSS 

Definition

1 : characterized by affectation of grandeur or splendor or by absurd exaggeration

2 : impressive because of uncommon largeness, scope, effect, or grandeur

Did You Know?

Grandiose, magnificent, imposing, stately, majestic, and grand all can mean very large and impressive. Grand adds to greatness of size the implications of handsomeness and dignity, as in "a grand staircase." Magnificent implies an extreme and impressive largeness without sacrifice of dignity or good taste ("magnificent paintings"). Imposing implies great size and dignity but especially stresses impressiveness ("an imposing edifice"). Stately may suggest poised dignity, erectness of bearing, handsomeness of proportions, and ceremonious deliberation of movement ("the stately procession"). Majestic combines the implications of imposing and stately and usually adds a suggestion of solemn grandeur ("a majestic waterfall"). Grandiose implies a size or scope exceeding ordinary experience ("grandiose hydroelectric projects").

Examples

The committee eventually scaled back the most outlandish parts of its plans for the festival, including a grandiose scheme to bring in live peacocks for the event.

"I wonder if Louise ever imagined the magnitude of influence her work was to have on the planet. Probably not; for greatness such as hers is more likely to be born of purpose than of grandiose design." — Suzy Singh, Business World, 2 Sept. 2017

Test Your Vocabulary

Fill in the blanks to complete an adjective meaning "marked by majestic dignity or grandeur": _ ug _ _ t.

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bravado - Word of the Day - 26/02/18

bravado

noun

Pronunciation

bruh-VAH-doh

Definition

1 a : blustering swaggering conduct

   b : a pretense of bravery

2 : the quality or state of being foolhardy

Did You Know?

Bravado ultimately traces to the Old Italian adjective bravo, meaning "courageous" or "wild." Nowadays, the wildness once associated with bravado has been tamed to an overbearing boldness that comes from arrogance or a position of power. Celebrities, political or corporate giants, and the schoolyard bully may all show bravado (though they often turn out to be not so tough after all). Bravado is also used for show-offish, daring acts that seem reckless and inconsistent with good sense, but might nonetheless be applauded with shouts of "Bravo!" when successful (the spectacular feats of stuntmen, for example).

Examples

The quiet, reserved actor is primarily known for playing characters who radiate bravado and swagger.

"Some compete for money, with first-prize purses of up to $500 on a recent race day. But most are amateurs, who put thrills and bravado above the ever-present risk of spinning out and slipping sideways across the ice." — Michael Hill, The Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2018

Name That Synonym

Fill in the blanks to complete a synonym of bravado: g _ _ c _ na _ e.

Merriam Webster

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thimblerig- Word of the Day - 25/02/18

thimblerig

verb

Pronunciation

THIM-bul-rig
 

Definition

1 : to cheat by trickery

2 : to swindle by a trick in which a small ball or pea is quickly shifted from under one to another of three small cups to fool the spectator guessing its location

Did You Know?

The game of thimblerig seems innocent enough. The thimblerigger places a little ball, pea, or other small object under one of three thimbles or cups. He or she deftly scoots the cups around on a table, then asks the player to bet on which one hides the object. But thimbleriggers are masters of sleight of hand and can move and manipulate the object unfairly—so the guileless player doesn't stand a chance of winning. (The poor bettor is probably unaware that rig has meant "to manipulate or control usually by deceptive or dishonest means" since the 1800s.) When the same sham is played with nutshells, it's called a shell game, and there's a related game played with cards known as three-card monte.

Examples

"Thimblerigging the market was such an accepted practice some traders were even taunted for not stealing enough." — Leah McGrath Goodman, The Asylum, 2011

"As the Ames brothers, Oakes (1804-73) and Oliver (1807-77), shovel-makers from Massachusetts, joined Sidney Dillon and Dr. Durant in thimblerigging the Credit Mobilier, none of the participants wished to be satisfied with a modest profit." — John F. Stover, American Railroads (2nd Edition), 1997

Name That Synonym

Fill in the blanks to complete a synonym of the verb thimblerig: c _ o _ _ e.


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vanward - Word of the Day - 24/02/18

vanward

adjective

Pronunciation

VAN-werd 

Definition

: located in the vanguard : advanced

Did You Know?

The troops at the head of an army are called the vanguard, and that word can also mean "the forefront of an action or movement." It was vanguard, rather than vanward, that led the way on the route into English. Vanguard was first documented in English in the 15th century. By the early 17th century, it was sometimes shortened to van—a reference might be made to an army's "van and rear." Some 200 years later vanward brought up the rear, making its English debut when writers appended -ward, an adjective suffix meaning "is situated in the direction of," to the shortened van, thereby creating a word meaning "in the forefront."

Examples

"[Joint venturing] opportunities now exist for vanward companies in a variety of industries, especially other financial services businesses and retailing." — Vikas Kapoor, American Banker, 6 Feb. 1998

"The enemy vexes not your vanward posts; / You are mistaken. — Now, however, go; / Cross Leipzig, and remain as the reserve." — Thomas Hardy, The Dynasts, 1908

Test Your Vocabulary

Fill in the blanks to complete a noun that refers to a leading element, force, or influence in an undertaking or development: s _ e _ _ he _ _.

Merriam-Webster

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never-never land - Word of the Day - 23/02/18

never-never land

noun

Pronunciation

nev-er-NEV-er-LAND

Definition

: an ideal or imaginary place

Did You Know?

The phrase never-never land is linked to Peter Pan, although it did not originate with that creation of the Scottish playwright Sir James Matthew Barrie. In Barrie's original 1904 play, Peter befriends the real-world children of the Darling family and spirits them off for a visit to Never Land, where children can fly and never have to become adults. Then, in his 1908 sequel When Wendy Grew Up, Barrie changed the name to Never Never Land, and subsequent versions of the earlier play incorporated that change. People had been using never-never land for a place that was overly idealistic or romantic since at least 1900, but the influence of Peter Pan on the word's popularity and staying power cannot be discounted.

Examples

Lester seems to think he lives in some kind of never-never land where people don't have to accept responsibility for their actions.

"However, notwithstanding the tsunami of interest, cryptocurrencies as money still operate in kind of a never-never land." — Eric Grover, American Banker, 16 Aug. 2017

Name That Synonym

Unscramble the letters to create a synonym of never-never land: PEEYNARM.

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lugubrious- Word of the Day - 22/02/18

lugubrious

adjective

Pronunciation

loo-GOO-bree-us
 

Definition

1 : mournful; especially : exaggeratedly or affectedly mournful

2 : dismal

Did You Know?

"It is a consolation to the wretched to have companions in misery," wrote Publilius Syrus in the first century B.C.E. Perhaps this explains why lugubrious is so woeful—it's all alone. Sure, we can dress up lugubrious with suffixes to form lugubriously or lugubriousness, but the word remains essentially an only child—the sole surviving English offspring of its Latin ancestors. This wasn't always the case, though. Lugubrious once had a linguistic living relative in luctual, an adjective meaning sad or sorrowful. Like lugubrious, luctual traced ultimately to the Latin verb lugēre, meaning "to mourn." Luctual, however, faded into obsolescence long ago, leaving lugubrious to carry on the family's mournful mission all alone.

Examples

"Most of the interviewees talk in the lugubrious tones of the defeated. We all know the story ends badly." — Bing West, The New York Post, 19 Sept. 2017

"In the new movie, Liam Neeson plays Felt with a kind of lugubrious sincerity. He's an unhappy man, beset by professional and personal woes, and he makes his secret alliance with Woodward for reasons that are both admirable and vengeful." — Jeffrey Toobin, The New Yorker, 26 Sept. 2017

Name That Synonym

Fill in the blanks to complete a synonym of lugubrious meaning "mournful": w _ _ l _ u _.

Merriam-Webster

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cadre - Word of the Day - 21/02/18

cadre

noun

Pronunciation

KAD-ray

 Definition

1 : a nucleus or core group especially of trained personnel able to assume control and to train others; broadly : a group of people having some unifying relationship

2 : a cell of indoctrinated leaders active in promoting the interests of a revolutionary party

3 : a member of a cadre

4 : frame, framework

Did You Know?

To understand cadre, we must first square our understanding of the word's Latin roots. Cadre traces to the Latin quadrum, meaning "square." Squares can make good frameworks—a fact that makes it easier to understand why first French speakers and later English speakers used cadre as a word meaning "framework." If you think of a core group of officers in a regiment as the framework that holds things together for the unit, you'll understand how the "personnel" sense of cadre developed. Military leaders and their troops are well-trained and work together as a unified team, which may explain why cadre is now sometimes used more generally to refer to any group of people who have some kind of unifying characteristic, even if they aren't leaders.

Examples

"As an articulate woman proposing solutions to the ills of society, Lucy was no lone figure on the city's political landscape. Still, within a public arena of competing ideas and legislative initiatives, she occupied a prominent niche—a revolutionary cadre of one—and fought to stay in the headlines and on the front page." — Jacqueline Jones, Goddess of Anarchy, 2017

"As Jon Gruden continues to build his coaching staff, his latest hire fits right in with the cadre of football minds with whom Gruden has had extensive experience. He has hired long time draft prep training specialist, Tom Shaw as the team's strength coach." — Pro Football Weekly, 15 Feb. 2018

Test Your Vocabulary

Fill in the blanks to complete a noun that refers to the act or process of orienting and training a new employee: o _ _ o _ rd _ n _.

Merriam-Webster

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yegg - Word of the Day - 20/02/18

yegg

noun

Pronunciation

YEG 

Definition

: one that breaks open safes to steal : safecracker; also : robber

Did You Know?

Safecracker first appeared in print in English around 1873, but English speakers evidently felt that they needed a more colorful word for this rather colorful profession. No one is quite sure where yegg came from. Its earliest known use in print is from a 1901 New York Times article. This same article also includes the first known print use of the variant yeggmen. Yegg has always been less common than safecracker, but it still turns up once in a while.

Examples

"Last Friday night while Sonoma peacefully slept a gang of yeggs, evidently professionals for they wore gloves to conceal all fingerprints, hammered away at the big safe of the Napa Milling Company, broke it open and escaped with $153 in cash, an account book and checks totaling $215." — The Sonoma (California) Index-Tribune, 6 Sept. 1935

"The cops grabbed him and another yegg for a Philadelphia store burglary." — James Lardner and Thomas Reppetto, NYPD: A City and Its Police, 2000

Test Your Vocabulary

Unscramble the letters to create a word for a criminal who robs pedestrians: TDOAFPO.

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hachure - Word of the Day - 19/02/18

hachure

verb

Pronunciation

ha-SHUR

Definition

: to denote surfaces in relief (as on a map) by shading with short lines drawn in the direction of slope

Did You Know?

Hachuring is an old map-drawing technique that was largely replaced in later years by the use of contour lines, or lines that connect points of similar elevation. The word hachure, which can also be a noun referring to one of the short lines used in hachuring, comes from the French hacher, meaning "to chop up" or "hash." This French word is also the source of the verbs hash, which can mean "to chop (food, such as meat and potatoes) into small pieces," among other meanings, and hatch, meaning "to inlay with narrow bands of distinguishable material" and "to mark (something, such as a drawing or engraving) with fine closely spaced lines."

Examples

"Topographic surveys were done for the first time with compasses…. And mapmakers developed new methods for depicting terrain. One method, called hachuring, used lines to indicate the direction and steepness of a slope." — Greg Miller, National Geographic, 16 Sept. 2016

"Lava flows that filled in much of the Yellowstone caldera are shown in this geologic map of the Yellowstone-Teton region. Rock units are colored by age and composition. Boundaries of the Yellowstone and Island Park calderas are hachured." — Robert B. Smith and Lee J. Siegel, Windows into the Earth: The Geologic Story of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, 2000

Test Your Vocabulary

What is the name for the art of making maps?

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farce - Word of the Day - 18/02/18

farce

noun

Pronunciation

FAHRSS

Definition

1 : a savory stuffing : forcemeat

2 : a light dramatic composition marked by broadly satirical comedy and improbable plot

3 : the broad humor characteristic of farce

4 : an empty or patently ridiculous act, proceeding, or situation

Did You Know?

When farce first appeared in English, it had to do with cookery, not comedy. In the 14th century, English adopted farce from Middle French with its original meaning of "forcemeat" or "stuffing." The comedic sense of farce in English dates from the 16th century, when English imported the word again, this time to refer to a kind of knockabout comedy already popular in France. This dramatic genre had its origins in the 13th-century practice of augmenting, or "stuffing," Latin church texts with explanatory phrases. By the 15th century, a similar practice had arisen of inserting unscripted buffoonery into religious plays. Such farces—which included clowning, acrobatics, reversal of social roles, and indecency—soon developed into a distinct dramatic genre and spread rapidly in various forms throughout Europe.

Examples

"The company's guarantee is a farce," Jay complained. "The replacement they sent broke even more quickly than the original."

"Congress approved the funding with few reservations, and years passed before lawmakers seemed to comprehend their role in the farce." — Mark Mazzetti, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2018

Test Your Vocabulary

What is the name for a dramatic play in which people act out assigned roles for the purpose of analyzing relationship problems?

Merriam-Webster

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uncanny - Word of the Day - 17/02/18

uncanny

adjective

Pronunciation

 un-KAN-ee

Definition

1 : seeming to have a supernatural character or origin : eerie, mysterious

2 : being beyond what is normal or expected : suggesting superhuman or supernatural powers

Did You Know?

Weird and eerie are synonyms of uncanny, but there are subtle differences in the meanings of the three words. Weird may be used to describe something that is generally strange or out of the ordinary. Eerie suggests an uneasy or fearful consciousness that some kind of mysterious and malign powers are at work, while uncanny, which debuted in the 18th century, implies disquieting strangeness or mysteriousness. English also has a word canny, but canny and uncanny should not be interpreted as opposites. Canny, which first appeared in English in the 16th century, means "clever," "shrewd," or "prudent," as in "a canny lawyer" or "a canny investment."

Examples

Our waiter had an uncanny resemblance to the creepy villain in the film we had just seen.

"One of the premier shape-shifters of his generation of actors, able to convincingly play an uncanny variety of characters, Paul Dano would seem to have slipped easily into yet another role: that of accomplished director." — Kenneth Turan, The Portland Press Herald, 28 Jan. 2018

Name That Synonym

Unscramble the letters to create a synonym of uncanny: DCIRHELT.

Merriam-Webster

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anent - Word of the Day - 16/02/18

anent

preposition

Pronunciation

uh-NENT

 Definition

: about, concerning

Did You Know?

Anent looks like a rather old-fashioned word, and it is, in fact, very old: an earlier sense of the word can be found in Beowulf, from approximately 800 C.E. Anent was at one point almost obsolete—it had nearly died out by the 17th century—but it was revived in the 19th century. Various usage commentators have decried anent as "affected" and "archaic." The former complaint seems like a harsh judgment, and the latter is untrue: although anent is rarely heard in speech, examples of current use can easily be found in written sources, especially in Scottish English. Once a favored preposition in Scots law, it turns up today in the occasional letter to the editor ("Anent your article on…"). Dead words do occasionally rise from the grave, and anent is one of them.

Examples

"Whatever the case, the undertaking was soon abandoned in disappointment and apparently with strong feelings anent the region itself." — Wesley Frank Craven, The Southern Colonies in the 17th Century, 1970

"The Act had been a sensible idea. Its absence would be noted. Not least among minority communities who welcomed the protection available from Section Six of the Act anent Online communications." — Brian Taylor, BBC.com, 25 Jan. 2018

Test Your Memory

What is the meaning of ad hoc, our February 25th Word of the Day?

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telegenic - Word of the Day - 15/02/18

telegenic

adjective

Pronunciation

 tel-uh-JEN-ik
 

Definition

: well-suited to the medium of television; especially : having an appearance and manner that are markedly attractive to television viewers

Did You Know?

Telegenic debuted in the 1930s, an offspring of television and photogenic, meaning "suitable for being photographed especially because of visual appeal." The word photogenic had other, more technical meanings before it developed that one in the early decades of the 20th century, but the modern meaning led to the sense of -genic that interests us here: "suitable for production or reproduction by a given medium." That sense is found in today's word, telegenic, as well as its synonym, videogenic. Telegenic may seem like a word that would primarily be used of people, but there is evidence for telegenic describing events (such as popular sports), objects, and responses. Occasionally, one even sees reference to a telegenic attitude or other intangible.

Examples

The future looks promising for this charismatic and telegenic young politician.

"[Shaun] White is a telegenic guy; he's been a corporate-sponsored snowboarder since the tender age of 7, and won gold medals in both 2006 and 2010." — Sonia Saraiya, Variety, 18 Feb. 2018

Test Your Vocabulary

What is the meaning of anthropogenic?

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invigilate - Word of the Day - 14/02/18

invigilate

verb

Pronunciation

in-VIJ-uh-layt

Definition

1 : to keep watch; especially : to supervise students at an examination

2 : supervise, monitor

Did You Know?

Keep your eyes open and you're sure to spot a few relatives of today's word. Invigilate is a descendant of the Latin verb vigilare, meaning "to stay awake." As you may have guessed, vigilare is the ancestor of our adjective vigilant ("alertly watchful"), and it also gives us reveille ("a signal to wake up in the morning," via French réveillez) and surveillance ("close watch, supervision," via French surveiller). Invigilate has been a member of the English language since the mid-16th century.

Examples

Professors will take turns invigilating exams during the finals period.

"Since I have so often been asked about the mechanics of the job [of restaurant reviewer], it seems worth mentioning a few here…. In places designed for group eating, I often made up a group, though I tended to invigilate what was ordered: duplicate orders were banned and no one got to say, 'I think I'll have a steak.'" — Peter Calder, The New Zealand Herald, 24 Dec. 2017

Test Your Vocabulary

Fill in the blanks to complete a noun that is used as the name for a supervisor or monitor: p _ _ ct _ _.

Merriam-Webster

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laudable - Word of the Day - 13/02/18

laudable

adjective

Pronunciation

 LAW-duh-bul 

Definition

: worthy of praise : commendable

Did You Know?

Both laudable and laudatory derive ultimately from Latin laud- or laus, meaning "praise." Laudable and laudatory differ in meaning, however, and usage commentators warn against using them interchangeably. Laudable means "deserving praise" or "praiseworthy," as in "laudable efforts to help the disadvantaged." Laudatory means "giving praise" or "expressing praise," as in "a laudatory book review." People occasionally use laudatory in place of laudable, but this use is not considered standard.

Examples

Thanks to the laudable efforts of dozens of volunteers, the town's Winter Carnival was an enjoyable event for everyone.

"Exposing your children to art and culture during Miami Art Week is a laudable idea. Letting a pack of 6-year-olds run around through the crowded aisles of Art Miami is something entirely different." — Connie Ogle, The Miami Herald, 11 Dec. 2017

Name That Synonym

Fill in the blanks to complete a synonym of laudable: e _ _ m _ l _ _ y.

Merriam-Webster

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Croesus - Word of the Day - 12/02/18

Croesus

noun

Pronunciation

KREE-sus
 

Definition

: a very rich man

Did You Know?

The original Croesus was a 6th-century B.C. king of Lydia, an ancient kingdom in what is now Turkey. Croesus conquered many surrounding regions, grew very wealthy, and became the subject of legends. In one legend, he was visited by Solon, the wise Athenian lawgiver. (Historians say this isn't chronologically possible, but it makes a good story.) Solon supposedly told Croesus, who thought he had everything: "Account no man happy before his death." These words made Croesus angry, and he threw the lawmaker out of his court. Croesus would rethink Solon's pronouncement later when his empire was overthrown by the Persians. Croesus' name shows up in the phrase "rich as Croesus," meaning "filthy rich," and it has also entered English as a generic term for someone extremely wealthy.

Examples

"Our young, handsome hero is an international man of mystery, fresh off the boat from London with no introduction but a note for a thousand pounds sterling, a fortune worthy of Croesus and enough to break a trading house." — Karen Heller, The Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2017

"I'd marry Lord Merton…. He's the silverest of silver foxes. He's richer than Croesus. He's charming." — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2015

Test Your Vocabulary

What is the name for a government by the wealthy or a controlling class of the wealthy?

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scilicet - Word of the Day - 11/02/18

scilicet

adverb

Pronunciation

SKEE-lih-ket

Definition

: that is to say : to wit, namely

Did You Know?

Scilicet is a rare word that most often occurs in legal proceedings and instruments. It is from Latin scire ("to know") and licet ("it is permitted"), which is also a root of videlicet—a synonym of scilicet. Licet, in turn, descends from the Latin verb licēre, which means "to be permitted" and is the ultimate source of the English words leisure, by way of the Anglo-French leisir ("to be permitted"), and license, which comes to us through Anglo-French from the Latin licens, the present participle of licēre. Scire has also made other contributions to English, giving us such words as conscience, conscious, and science.

Examples

The organization's charter clearly states that "any changes to the structure of the organization's meetings must be unanimously approved by the executive board, scilicet, the chair and the board's six other members."

"Their objection—they claimed—was to the parcelling out of the top state jobs among the political (scilicet: the other political) parties." — The Economist, 13 Jan. 1979

Word  Quiz

What is the meaning of nescience (derived from Latin scire)?

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lexicographer - Word of the Day - 10/02/18

lexicographer

noun

Pronunciation

lek-suh-KAH-gruh-fer

Definition

: an author or editor of a dictionary

Did You Know?

Today, we're looking at a word that is dear to our hearts: lexicographer. The ancient Greeks were some of the earliest makers of dictionaries; they used them mainly to catalog obsolete terms from their rich literary past. To create a word for writers of dictionaries, the Greeks sensibly attached the suffix -graphos, meaning "writer," to lexikon, meaning "dictionary," to form lexikographos, the direct ancestor of the English word lexicographer. Lexikon, which itself descends from Greek lexis (meaning "word" or "speech"), also gave us lexicon, which can mean either "dictionary" or "the vocabulary of a language, speaker, or subject."

Examples

Noah Webster believed that a lexicographer's work was to document a language as it is used, without any judgment or subjective influence.

"Google celebrated the life of Samuel Johnson on Monday with an animated Doodle defining the word 'lexicographer.' Monday would have marked Johnson's 308th birthday. He was well known as a lexicographer himself, as well as a poet, essayist, critic and biographer." — Katie Collins, CNET.com, 18 Sept. 2017

Test Your Vocabulary

Fill in the blanks to complete the name for a geographical dictionary: g _ _ e _ te _ r.

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meander - Word of the Day - 09/03/18

meander

verb

Pronunciation

mee-AN-der
 

Definition

1 : to follow a winding or intricate course

2 : to wander aimlessly or casually without urgent destination : ramble

Did You Know?

Roam, ramble, and meander all mean to move about from place to place without a plan or definite purpose, but each suggests wandering in a unique way. Roam refers to carefree wandering over a wide area often for pleasure (as in "I roamed over the hills for hours"). Ramble stresses carelessness and indifference to one's course or objective (for instance, "the speaker rambled on without ever coming to the point"). Meander, which comes from Greek Maiandros—an old name for a river in Asia Minor that is now known as the Menderes—implies a winding course and lazy movement, and it is still sometimes associated with rivers (as in, "the river meandered through the town"). Meander can also be used as a noun meaning "a winding path."

Examples

"The trail meanders through towering evergreens, over a creek and beside a waterfall." — Jim Ryan, The Oregonian, 7 Feb. 2018

"Instead of hooks or choruses, there were intensities, pulses, sung words that meandered and then dissolved into crystalline sound. They were barely songs. But they were enough. The listener got the impression that language was insufficient to express her highs and lows." — Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2017

Test Your Vocabulary

What word refers to a limit or point that you reach when the results of your actions cannot be changed, and is from the name of the river that Julius Caesar crossed into Italy thereby starting a war?

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bird-dog - Word of the Day - 08/03/18

bird-dog

verb

Pronunciation

 BERD-dawg

 Definition

1 : to watch closely

2 : to seek out : follow, detect

Did You Know?

People began using bird-dog as a verb meaning "to closely watch someone or something" or "to doggedly seek out someone or something" in the early 20th century. Both meanings reflect skills likely to be possessed by a well-trained bird dog—that is, a hunting dog trained to hunt or retrieve birds. By the 1930s, bird-dogging was being used specifically as a term for stealing someone else's date. And, not long after that, it began to be used for the scouting out of customers or prospective talent. The noun bird dog refers to the canines one would expect, and is also used as a name for the date stealers and scouts who do the bird-dogging.

Examples

With millions of city dollars invested, citizens are bird-dogging the riverfront development project to its completion.

Also in line for a guaranteed budget is the new deputy inspector general for public safety charged with auditing police practices, identifying troubling trends, recommending changes to the police contract and bird-dogging the new multi-tiered

Test Your Vocabulary

What 4-letter verb beginning with "t" can mean "to spy on" or "to promote or talk up"?

Merriam-Webster

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woolgathering - Word of the Day - 07/03/18

woolgathering

noun

Pronunciation

WOOL-gath-uh-ring 

Definition

: indulgence in idle daydreaming

Did You Know?

Woolgathering once literally referred to the act of gathering loose tufts of wool that had gotten caught on bushes and fences as sheep passed by. As you might imagine, woolgathering was not the most profitable of enterprises; its practitioners must have seemed to wander aimlessly, gaining little for their efforts. In the mid-16th century, woolgathering began to appear in figurative phrases such as "my wits went a woolgathering"—in other words, "my mind went wandering aimlessly." From there, it wasn't long before the word woolgathering came to suggest foolish or purposeless mind-wandering.

Examples

My woolgathering in the backseat was abruptly interrupted by a question from the taxi driver.

"I love the feeling of being on a train, the rumble and roar that seem to aid woolgathering, and I never tire of staring out the window, no matter the scenery." — Karl Zimmermann, The Los Angeles Times, 3 Sept. 2017

Name That Synonym

Fill in the blanks to complete a synonym of woolgathering: s _ _ rg _ _ in _.

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scarify - Word of the Day - 06/03/18

scarify

verb

Pronunciation

SKAIR-uh-fye
 

Definition

1 : to make scratches or small cuts in (something, such as the skin)

2 : to lacerate the feelings of

3 : to break up, loosen, or roughen the surface of (something, such as a field or road)

4 : to cut or soften the wall of (a hard seed) to hasten germination

Did You Know?

You get two words for the price of one with scarify. The first scarify appeared in English in the 15th century with the meaning "to make scratches or cuts in" and later developed a figurative application of "cutting" someone emotionally. This word is ultimately derived from a Greek verb meaning "to scratch an outline." The second homograph turned up in the late 18th century and gained currency by the 20th century. This scarify was formed by combining scare with -ify, possibly as a combination of scare and terrify, and it predictably means "to scare or frighten."

Examples

"Recent harvests on city-owned land have removed on average about 50 percent of the standing biomass, which is not low-impact forestry. It is done with large, commercial-scale logging equipment that reduces biodiversity and scarifies the forest soil." — Ralph Baker, The Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, Massachusetts), 18 July 2017

"Canna seeds need to be scarified by filing through the hard shells before they germinate." — Tony Tomeo, The Chico (California) Enterprise-Record, 5 Jan. 2018

Test Your Vocabulary

What 5-letter verb begins with "s" and can mean "to scrape (the feet) along a surface while walking" or "to scratch, gouge, or wear the surface of"?

Merriam-Webster

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rabble - Word of the Day - 05/03/18

rabble

noun

Pronunciation

RAB-ul
 

Definition

1 : a disorganized or confused collection of things

2 a : a disorganized or disorderly crowd of people : mob

   b : the lowest class of people

Did You Know?

Rabble has been with the English language since its appearance in Middle English (as rabel) around the turn of the 15th century. The Middle English rabel (originally used to denote a pack or swarm of animals or insects) may have come from the verb rabel which meant "to babble" (despite the similarity in sound and meaning, however, babble and rabble are linguistically unrelated). The verb rabel is related to Middle Dutch rabbelen and Low German rabbeln, meaning "to speak rapidly or indistinctly" or "to chatter." So how do we get from babbling to crowds of people? The connecting link may be the idea of confusion. Rabble, in its earliest uses, could indicate a pack of animals, a swarm of insects, or a confused collection of things, in addition to a confused or meaningless string of words.

Examples

The university chancellor required extra security to help get him through the rabble of protestors.

"Perhaps most importantly, since prescriptive rules are so psychologically unnatural that only those with access to the right schooling can abide by them, they serve as shibboleths, differentiating the elite from the rabble." — Steven Pinker, The Language Instinct, 1994

Name That Synonym

Fill in the blanks to complete a synonym of rabble: c _ _ ai _ le.

Merriam-Webster

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cursory - Word of the Day - 04/03/18

cursory

adjective

Pronunciation

KER-suh-ree

 Definition

: rapidly and often superficially performed or produced : hasty

Did You Know?

Cursory and its synonyms superficial and shallow all mean "lacking in depth or care"—but these words are not used in exactly the same way in all cases. Cursory, which comes from the Latin verb currere ("to run"), implies speed and stresses a lack of attention to detail. While cursory suggests a lack of thoroughness, superficial implies a concern only with surface aspects or obvious features. An analysis of a problem might be labeled "superficial" if it considers only the obvious and fails to dig deeper into the issue. Shallow is more generally derogatory in implying lack of depth in knowledge, reasoning, emotions, or character, as in "insensitive and shallow comments."

Examples

James gave the instructions only a cursory look before he began to assemble the shelves and didn't realize until he was partway through that he would need a power drill.

"The police report has been filed, but a detective won't be on the case until Tuesday. Knowing LA, there are so many automobile thefts that it may not get much more than a cursory acknowledgement from the police." — Bradley Brownell, Jalopnik, 28 Jan. 2018

Word Quiz

Fill in the blanks to complete a noun derived from Latin currere that refers to aid or relief: s _ _ c _ r.

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elucidate - Word of the Day - 03/03/18

elucidate

verb

Pronunciation

ih-LOO-suh-dayt 

Definition

1 : to make lucid especially by explanation or analysis

2 : to give a clarifying explanation

Did You Know?

To elucidate is to make something clear that was formerly murky or confusing—and it is perfectly clear how the modern term got that meaning. Elucidate traces to the Latin term lucidus, which means "lucid." Lucidus, in turn, descends from the verb lucēre, meaning "to shine." So elucidating can be thought of as the figurative equivalent of shining a light on something to make it easier to see. Lucēre has also produced other shining offspring in English. Among its descendants are lucid itself (which can mean "shining," "clear-headed," or "easily understood"), lucent (meaning "giving off light" or "easily seen through"), and translucent (meaning "partly transparent" or "clear enough for light to pass through").

Examples

"In 'Darwin and the Meaning of Flowers' Sacks recounts how, late in his life and in poor health, Darwin turned his attention from animals to plants, continuing to elucidate his theory of evolution when he could no longer undertake voyages." — Suzanne Koven, The Boston Globe, 26 Nov. 2017

"The D.A. was engaging and insightful as he elucidated upon not only the proper steps to get a felony removed from your criminal background, but also the procedures of diversion and executive pardon." — James E. Cherry, The Jackson (Tennessee) Sun, 26 Nov. 2017

Word Quiz

What noun is related to Latin lucēre (though distantly) and refers to a person of brilliant achievement?

Merriam-Webster

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nondescript - Word of the Day - 02/03/18

nondescript

adjective

Pronunciation

nahn-dih-SKRIPT

 Definition

1 : belonging or appearing to belong to no particular class or kind : not easily described

2 : lacking distinctive or interesting qualities : dull, drab

Did You Know?

It is relatively easy to describe the origins of nondescript (and there's a hint in the first part of this sentence). Nondescript was formed by combining the prefix non- (meaning "not") with descriptus,the past participle of the Latin verb describere, meaning "to describe." It is no surprise, then, that when the word was adopted in the late 17th century by English speakers, it was typically applied to something (such as a genus or species) that had not yet been described. Other descriptive descendants of describere in English include describe, description, and descriptive itself, as well as the rare philosophical term descriptum ("something that is described").

Examples

The famous spy was a quiet, nondescript man that people had a difficult time describing even a few minutes after meeting him, which was clearly an advantage in his profession.

"Crowds of tech aficionados, news crews and the simply curious turned out for the public opening of Amazon's checkout-free convenience store Monday, giving a generally nondescript sidewalk the air of an Apple store the day a new iPhone comes out." — Elizabeth Weise and Amity Addrisi, The Dayton (Ohio) Daily News, 23 Jan. 2018

Test Your Vocabulary

Fill in the blanks to complete a word that refers to a nondescript person or thing: _ h _ _ n _ t.

Merriam-Webster

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