The word for today is… factoid (noun): 1 : an invented fact believed to be true because it appears in print 2 : a briefly stated and usually trivial fact Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : We can thank Norman Mailer for factoid: he used the word in his 1973 book Marilyn (about Marilyn
The word for today is… idiot (noun): 1 : a foolish or stupid person 2 dated, now seen as offensive by some: a person affected with extreme intellectual disability Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : We had ‘fool’ a year ago, so a synonym this year. The Greek adjective idios means “one’s
The word for today is… homologous (adjective): 1a : having the same relative position, value, or structure: such as a biology : having the same or allelic genes with genetic loci usually arranged in the same order homologous chromosomes b chemistry : belonging to or consisting of a chemical series whose successive members
The word for today is… imminent (adjective): : happening very soon Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Imminent bears a close resemblance to eminent, and native English-speakers can be excused if they sometimes have to check their spelling. No surprise, really, since the two, despite their very distinct meanings, come from near-
The word for today is… myopic (adjective): 1 medical : not able to clearly see objects that are far away 2 disapproving : only thinking or caring about things that are happening now or that relate to a particular group rather than things that are in the future or that relate to
The word for today is… ziggurat (noun): : an ancient Mesopotamian temple tower consisting of a lofty pyramidal structure built in successive stages with outside staircases and a shrine at the top Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : French professor of archaeology Francois Lenormant spent a great deal of time poring over ancient
The word for today is… bamboozle (verb): 1 : to deceive by underhanded methods 2 : to confuse, frustrate, or throw off thoroughly or completely Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : In 1710, Irish author Jonathan Swift wrote an article on “the continual Corruption of our English Tongue” in which he complained of “the
The word for today is… accede (verb): accede usually appears with addition ‘to’ – he accedes to….. 1 formal a : to express approval or give consent : to agree to a request or demand b : to become a party to something (such as an agreement) 2 formal : to enter upon an office
The word for today is… banshee (noun): : a female spirit in Gaelic folklore whose appearance or wailing warns a family that one of them will soon die Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : In Irish folklore, a bean sídhe (literally “woman of fairyland”) was not a welcome guest. When she was seen
The word for today is… juggernaut (noun): 1 : a massive inexorable force, campaign, movement, or object that crushes whatever is in its path 2 chiefly British : a large heavy truck Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : In the early 14th century, Franciscan missionary Friar Odoric brought to Europe the story of an
The word for today is… opine (verb): : to express opinions: to state as an opinion Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Opine is not a back-formation of opinion. Both words come from Middle French opiner, meaning “to express one’s opinion,” and Latin opinari, “to have in mind” or “to think.
The word for today is… erudite (adjective): : having or showing knowledge that is gained by studying : possessing or displaying erudition Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Erudite derives from Latin eruditus, the past participle of the verb erudire, meaning “to instruct.” A closer look at that verb shows that it is formed
The word for today is… derring-do (noun): : daring action Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Derring-do is a quirky holdover from Middle English that came to occupy its present place in the language by a series of mistakes and misunderstandings. In Middle English, dorring don meant simply “daring to do.
The word for today is… non sequitur (noun): 1 : an inference that does not follow from the premises – specifically : a fallacy resulting from a simple conversion of a universal affirmative proposition or from the transposition of a condition and its consequent 2 : a statement (such as a response) that does
The word for today is… debilitating (adjective): : causing serious impairment of strength or ability to function Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The verb debilitate (and its adjective form debilitating) comes from the Latin word for “weak,” debilis. Often used of disease—as in, “the patient was debilitated”—it can also suggest
The word for today is… winsome (adjective): : generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Winsome comes from Old English wynn, meaning “joy” or “pleasure,” which was altered in spelling to win (with the same meaning). That win is obsolete and is
