The word for today is… obstreperous (adjective) – 1 : marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness 2 : stubbornly resistant to control Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The handy Latin prefix ob-, meaning “in the way,” “against,” or “toward,” occurs in many Latin and English words. “Obstreperous” comes from ob- plus strepere, a verb
The word for today is… folderol (noun) – 1 : a useless ornament or accessory 2 : nonsense Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Hogwash. Claptrap. Hooey. Drivel. Malarkey. English is rife with words that mean “nonsense,” and “folderol” is one of the many. Though not the most common of the words for nonsense, it’
discomfit (verb, noun) – verb: 1 : to put into a state of perplexity and embarrassment : 2a : to frustrate the plans of b archaic : to defeat in battle noun: the state of being confused, embarrassed, or upset Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Disconcerted by discomfit and discomfort? Here’s a little usage history
The word for today is… pristine (adjective) – 1 : belonging to the earliest period or state 2a : not spoiled, corrupted, or polluted (as by civilization) b : fresh and clean as or as if new Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : When pristine was anglicized in the 16th century, people borrowed the meanings of
The word for today is… minatory (adjective) – having a menacing quality Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Knowing that minatory means “threatening,” can you take a guess at a related word? If you’re familiar with mythology, perhaps you guessed Minotaur, the name of the bull-headed, people-eating monster of Crete.
The word for today is… bunkum (noun) – : insincere or foolish talk Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Some words in our language have more colorful histories than others, but in the case of bunkum, you could almost say it was an act of Congress that brought the word into being. Back in
The word for today is… brusque (adjective) – 1 : markedly short and abrupt a brusque reply 2 : blunt in manner or speech often to the point of ungracious harshnes Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : We borrowed “brusque” from French in the 1600s. The French, in turn, had borrowed it from Italian, where
The word for today is… vendetta (noun) – 1 : blood feud 2 : an often prolonged series of retaliatory, vengeful, or hostile acts or exchange of such acts Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Vendetta has been getting even in English since the mid-19th century. English speakers borrowed vendetta, spelling and all, from
The word for today is… dirge (noun) – 1 : a song or hymn of grief or lamentation especially one intended to accompany a funeral 2 : a slow, solemn, and mournful piece of music 3 : something (such as a poem) that has the qualities of a dirge Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The
The word for today is… prudent (adjective) – : characterized by, arising from, or showing prudence: such as a : marked by wisdom or judiciousness b : shrewd in the management of practical affairs c : marked by circumspection Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Prudent arrived in Middle English around the 14th century and traces back,
The word for today is… reputation (noun) 1a : overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general b : recognition by other people of some characteristic or ability 2 : a place in public esteem or regard Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : For reputation, the attainment of lexical esteem begins
The word for today is… savvy (adjective, noun, verb)- adjective : having or showing perception, comprehension, or shrewdness especially in practical matters noun : practical know-how, e.g. political savvy verb : understand Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : You may be familiar with the noun savvy, meaning “practical know-how” (as in “he
The word for today is… tangible (adjective, noun) – adjective – 1a : capable of being perceived especially by the sense of touch b : substantially real 2 : capable of being precisely identified or realized by the mind 3 : capable of being appraised at an actual or approximate value noun – something that is tangible
The word for today is… infantry (noun) – 1a : soldiers trained, armed, and equipped to fight on foot b : a branch of an army composed of these soldiers 2 : an infantry regiment or division Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The Italian word fante (from Latin infans, “infant, child”) originally meant “child,” later
The word for today is… hare (noun, verb) – noun – : any of various swift, gnawing, herbivorous, usually shy lagomorph mammals (family Leporidae and especially genus Lepus) that have long ears, short tails, and powerful long hind legs, are usually solitary or sometimes live in pairs, have the young open-eyed and
The word for today is… pertain (verb) – 1a (1) : to belong as a part, member, accessory, or product (2) : to belong as an attribute, feature, or function (3) : to belong as a duty or right b : to be appropriate to something 2 : to have reference – e.g. books pertaining to
