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David Theobald

The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… vituperative (adjective) – uttering or given to censure : containing or characterized by verbal abuse Source : Wordsmith Etymology : From Latin vituperare (to blame), from vitium (fault) + parare (to make or prepare). Earliest documented use: 1727. If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… modicum (noun) – a small portion; a limited quantity Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : What does “modicum” have to do with a toilet? It just so happens that “modicum” shares the same Latin parent as “commode,” which is a synonym of “toilet.” “Modicum” and “commode” ultimately derive

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… ersatz (adjective) – being a usually artificial and inferior substitute or imitation Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : Ersatz can be traced back in English to 1875, but it really came into prominence during World War I. Borrowed from German, where Ersatz is a noun meaning “substitute,” the

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… polemic (noun) 1a : an aggressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of another b : the art or practice of disputation or controversy —usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction 2 : an aggressive controversialist : disputant Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : When

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… spindrift (noun) – 1 : sea spray especially : spray blown from waves during a gale 2 : fine wind-borne snow or sand Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : Spindrift first set sail in the mid-18th century under Scottish command. During its first voyage, it was known by the Scottish moniker

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… effusive (adjective) – 1 : marked by the expression of great or excessive emotion or enthusiasm effusive praise – 2 archaic : pouring freely – 3 : characterized or formed by a nonexplosive outpouring of lava effusive rocks Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : We’ve used “effusive” in English to describe excessive

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… vulcanize (transitive verb) : to subject to vulcanization Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : Vulcanization involves heating rubber in combination with sulfur. The Roman god Vulcan (whose Greek counterpart is Hephaestus) was the god of fire and of skills that used fire, such as metalworking. So when Charles

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… ad hominem (adjective)) – 1 : appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect 2 : marked by or being an attack on an opponent’s character rather than by an answer to the contentions made Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Ad hominem literally means “to the person” in

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… eclectic (adjective) 1 : composed of elements drawn from various sources 2 : selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : Eclectic comes from a Greek verb meaning “to select” and was originally applied to ancient philosophers who were

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… gibbous (adjective)  – 1a : marked by convexity or swelling, 1b of the moon or a planet : seen with more than half but not all of the apparent disk illuminated 2 : having a hump : humpbacked Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : The adjective “gibbous” has its origins in the Latin

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… haptic (adjective) 1 : relating to or based on the sense of touch 2 : characterized by a predilection for the sense of touch a haptic person Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Haptic (from the Greek haptesthai, meaning “to touch”) entered English in the late 19th century as a

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… amok (adverb) 1 : in a violently raging, wild, or uncontrolled manner 2 : in a murderously frenzied state Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Print evidence of amok in English was first recorded in the 1600s, when the word was used as a noun meaning “murderous frenzy.” Visitors to

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is.. ream (noun, verb) noun (n.)  measure of paper ream (v.) to enlarge a hole Source : Online Etymology Dictionary Etymology : Noun – mid-14c., from Old French reyme, from Spanish resma, from Arabic rizmah “bundle” (of paper), from rasama “collect into a bundle.” The Moors brought manufacture of

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… intestate (adjective, noun) adj 1. Having made no legal will: an intestate parent. 2. Not disposed of by a legal will: intestate lands. n. One who dies without a legal will. Source : Online Etymology Dictionary Etymology : late 14th century., from Old French intestat (13th century.

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… panjandrum (noun) 1- a pompous self-important official or person of rank 2 – Secret WWII rocket propelled rolling bomb project designed to be used at beach assaults. It was an abject failure and was never deployed in action. Source : Interesting literature.com; Youtube Etymology : Panjandrum is

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… devious (adjective) – 1 (a) wandering, roundabout,  (b) moving without a fixed course : errant 2  out-of-the-way, remote 3 (a) deviating from a right, accepted, or common course, (b) not straightforward : cunning Source : Mirriam – Webster Etymology : If you think someone devious has lost their way, you’re

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