The word for today is… undergird (verb): 1 archaic : to make secure underneath 2: to form the basis or foundation of : strengthen, support Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : When undergird was a new word in the 16th century, it was ships that were undergirded—that is, made secure below—and the
The word for today is… dolorous (adjective): : causing, marked by, or expressing misery or grief Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : If you’ve ever studied a Romance language, you’ve likely run into words related to Latin dolor, meaning “pain” or “grief.” Indeed, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian all refer
The word for today is… hackle (noun, verb): noun 1a: one of the long narrow feathers on the neck or saddle of a bird b: the neck plumage of the domestic fowl 2: a comb or board with long metal teeth for dressing flax, hemp, or jute 3: hackles plural
The word for today is… pacify (verb): 1a: to allay the anger or agitation of : soothe b: appease, propitiate 2a: to restore to a tranquil state : settle b: to reduce to a submissive state : subdue Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Pacify is the oldest of a set of soothing words that
The word for today is… lackadaisical (adjective): : lacking life, spirit, or zest : languid Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Lackadaisical is rooted in the sort of sorrow that can put a damper on one’s passion for things. When people living from the late 17th to the late 19th century had one
The word for today is… vicinity (noun): Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Vicinity is a word with neighbourly origins that was welcomed into English as a French import in the 16th century from Middle French vicinité. It comes ultimately from Latin vicus, meaning “row of houses” or “village,” by way of
The word for today is… oracular (adjective): 1: resembling an oracle (as in solemnity of delivery) 2: of, relating to, or being an oracle Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : When the ancient Greeks had questions or problems, they would turn to the gods for answers by consulting an oracle, a person
The word for today is… foible (noun): 1: the part of a sword or foil blade between the middle and point 2: a minor flaw or shortcoming in character or behavior Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Borrowed from French in the 1600s, the word originally referred to the weakest part of
The word for today is… auspicious (adjective): 1: showing or suggesting that future success is likely 2: attended by good auspices Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Auspicious comes from Latin auspex, which literally means “bird seer” (from the words avis, meaning “bird,” and specere, meaning “to look at”). In ancient Rome,
The word for today is… circumscribe (verb): 1a: to constrict the range or activity of definitely and clearly b: to define or mark off carefully 2a: to draw a line around b: to surround by or as if by a boundary 3: to construct or be constructed around (a geometrical
The word for today is… shenanigan (noun): 1: a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose 2a: tricky or questionable practices or conduct—usually used in plural b: high-spirited or mischievous activity—usually used in plural Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The history of shenanigan is as tricky and
The word for today is… bowdlerise (verb): 1 literature : to expurgate (something, such as a book) by omitting or modifying parts considered vulgar 2: to modify by abridging, simplifying, or distorting in style or content Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Few editors have achieved the notoriety of Thomas Bowdler. He was
The word for today is… equivocal (adjective): 1a: subject to two or more interpretations and usually used to mislead or confuse b: uncertain as an indication or sign 2a: of uncertain nature or classification b: of uncertain disposition toward a person or thing : undecided c: of doubtful advantage, genuineness, or
The word for today is… gerrymander (noun, verb): noun 1: the act or method of gerrymandering 2: a district or pattern of districts varying greatly in size or population as a result of gerrymandering verb : to divide or arrange (a territorial unit) into election districts in a way that gives
The word for today is… belated (adjective): 1: delayed beyond the usual time 2: existing or appearing past the normal or proper time Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Long ago, there was a verb belate, which meant “to make late.” From the beginning, belate tended to mostly turn up in the
The word for today is… infantilise (verb): 1: to make or keep infantile 2: to treat as if infantile Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Infantilise is just a baby, linguistically speaking. It wasn’t until several decades into the 20th century that social scientists started using the term to discuss the
