The word for today is… litmus test (noun): : a test in which a single factor (such as an attitude, event, or fact) is decisive Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : It was in the 14th century that scientists discovered that litmus, a mixture of coloured organic compounds obtained from lichen, turns red
The word for today is… discrimination (noun): 1a: prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment b: the act, practice, or an instance of discriminating categorically rather than individually 2: the quality or power of finely distinguishing 3a: the act of making or perceiving a difference : the act of discriminating b
The word for today is… irenic (adjective): : favouring, conducive to, or operating toward peace, moderation, or conciliation Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : In Greek mythology, Eirene was one of the Horae, the goddesses of the seasons and natural order who in the Iliad are the custodians of the gates of Olympus.
The word for today is… convivial (adjective): : relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Convivial is a cheerful word that typically suggests a mood of full-bellied delight in good food, good drink, and good company, which Charles Dickens aptly captures
The word for today is… sanctuary (noun, adjective): 1: a consecrated place: such as a: the ancient Hebrew temple at Jerusalem or its holy of holies b(1): the most sacred part of a religious building (such as the part of a Christian church in which the altar is placed)
The word for today is… lassitude (noun): 1: a condition of weariness or debility : fatigue 2: a condition characterised by lack of interest, energy, or spirit : languor Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Lassitude and weariness make an interesting pair. As with many nearly synonymous pairs of words in English, one is
The word for today is… insurgency (noun): : the quality or state of being insurgent - specifically : a condition of revolt against a government that is less than an organised revolution and that is not recognised as belligerency Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Insurgencies fall into the category of "irregular warfare"
The word for today is… impute (verb): 1: to lay the responsibility or blame for (something) often falsely or unjustly 2: to credit or ascribe (something) to a person or a cause : attribute Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Impute is a formal word typically used in contexts in which a motive,
The word for today is… elegiac (adjective): 1a: of, relating to, or consisting of two dactylic hexameter lines the second of which lacks the arsis in the third and sixth feet b(1): written in or consisting of elegiac couplets (2): noted for having written poetry in such couplets c:
The word for today is… minutia (noun): : a minute or minor detail - usually used in plural Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Minutia was borrowed into English in the 18th century from the Latin plural noun minutiae, meaning “trifles” or “details,” which comes from the singular noun minutia, meaning “smallness.” In English,
The word for today is… kayfabe (noun): 1: the tacit agreement between professional wrestlers and their fans to pretend that overtly staged wrestling events, stories, characters, etc., are genuine broadly : tacit agreement to behave as if something is real, sincere, or genuine when it is not 2: the playacting involved
The word for today is… plenist (noun): : one who maintains that there are no vacuums in nature Source : Collins Etymology : A plenist is a follower of the philosophical theory of plenism that there are no vacuums in nature. It is often associated with the phrase "nature abhors a vacuum,
The word for today is… sea change (noun): 1 archaic : a change brought about by the sea 2: a marked change : transformation Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : In The Tempest, William Shakespeare’s final play, sea change refers to a change brought about by the sea: the sprite Ariel, who aims
The word for today is… argot (noun): : the language used by a particular type or group of people : an often more or less secret vocabulary and idiom peculiar to a particular group Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : We borrowed argot from French in the early 1800s, although our language already had
The word for today is… tutelage (noun): 1a: instruction especially of an individual b: a guiding influence 2: the state of being under a guardian or tutor 3a: an act or process of serving as guardian or protector : guardianship b: hegemony over a foreign territory Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Tutelage
The word for today is… Herculean (adjective): 1: of, relating to, or characteristic of Hercules 2 often not capitalised : of extraordinary power, extent, intensity, or difficulty Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The hero Hercules, son of the god Zeus by a human mother, was famous for his superhuman strength. As penance
