The word for today is… aphaeresis (noun) - : the loss of one or more sounds or letters at the beginning of a word (as in round for around) Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Borrowed from Late Latin, borrowed from Greek aphaíresis "taking away, removal, dropping of a letter or sound from
The word for today is… diaphanous (adjective) - 1: characterised by such fineness of texture as to permit seeing through 2: characterised by extreme delicacy of form : ethereal 3: insubstantial, vague Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : What do the words diaphanous, epiphany, fancy, phenomenon, sycophant, emphasis, and phase all have in common?
The word for today is… sinuous (adjective) - 1a: of a serpentine or wavy form : winding b: marked by strong lithe movements 2: intricate, complex Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Although it probably makes you think more of snakes than head colds, sinuous is etymologically more like sinus than serpent. Sinuous and
The word for today is… quintessential (adjective, noun) - adjective : perfectly typical or representative of a particular kind of person or thing noun : a quintessential element : something that is a typical part or pure example — usually plural Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : The philosophers and scientists of the ancient world and the
The word for today is… fleer (noun) - archaic : a word or look of derision or mockery Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Fleer first appeared in English as a verb (fleryen in Middle English) meaning "to laugh, grin, or grimace in a coarse manner." The verb is of Scandinavian origin
The word for today is… repartee (noun) - 1a: a quick and witty reply b: a succession or interchange of clever retorts : amusing and usually light sparring with words 2: adroitness and cleverness in reply : skill in repartee Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Dorothy Parker was known for her repartee. Upon hearing
The word for today is… estuary (noun) - : a water passage where the tide meets a river current, especially : an arm of the sea at the lower end of a river Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : A partly enclosed coastal body of water in which river water is mixed with seawater is
The word for today is… cantor (noun) - 1: a choir leader : precentor 2: a synagogue official who sings or chants liturgical music and leads the congregation in prayer Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : The cantor is, after the rabbi, the most important figure in a Jewish worship service. A cantor not
The word for today is… astrolabe (noun) - : a compact instrument used to observe and calculate the position of celestial bodies before the invention of the sextant Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : “Thyn Astrolabie hath a ring to putten on the thombe of thi right hond in taking the height of thinges.
The word for today is… elicit (verb) - 1: to get (information, a response, etc.) from someone 2: to bring out (something latent or potential) Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Say them fast—or even slow—in isolation, and no one will know which one you mean: elicit and illicit both rhyme
The word for today is… solecism (noun) - 1: an ungrammatical combination of words in a sentence, also : a minor blunder in speech 2: something deviating from the proper, normal, or accepted order 3: a breach of etiquette or decorum Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : The city of Soloi had a reputation
The word for today is… nectar (noun) - 1a: the drink of the Greek and Roman gods b: something delicious to drink c: a beverage of fruit juice and pulp 2: a sweet liquid that is secreted by the nectaries of a plant and is the chief raw material of
The word for today is… festinate (verb, adjective) - verb : hasten adjective : hasty Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Festinate is one among many in the category of words whose early recorded use is in the works of William Shakespeare. He used it as an adjective (which is pronounced \FESS-tuh-nut) in King Lear,
The word for today is… surd (adjective, noun) - adjective 1: lacking sense : irrational 2: voiceless — used of speech sounds noun 1a: an irrational root (such as √3) b: irrational number 2: a surd speech sound Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Both surd and its more common cousin absurd come from the
The word for today is… garniture (noun) - 1: embellishment, trimming 2: a set of decorative objects (such as vases, urns, or clocks) Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : In Middle French, garniture meant "accessory." It is an alteration of the Old French noun garneture, which is derived from the verb
The word for today is… choreography (noun) - 1: the art of symbolically representing dancing 2a: the composition and arrangement of dances especially for ballet b: a composition created by this art 3: something resembling choreography Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : In ancient Greece, a choreia was a circular dance accompanied by
