The word for today is… erudite (adjective): : having or showing knowledge that is gained by studying : possessing or displaying erudition Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Erudite derives from Latin eruditus, the past participle of the verb erudire, meaning “to instruct.” A closer look at that verb shows that it is formed
The word for today is… derring-do (noun): : daring action Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Derring-do is a quirky holdover from Middle English that came to occupy its present place in the language by a series of mistakes and misunderstandings. In Middle English, dorring don meant simply “daring to do.” The phrase
The word for today is… non sequitur (noun): 1 : an inference that does not follow from the premises – specifically : a fallacy resulting from a simple conversion of a universal affirmative proposition or from the transposition of a condition and its consequent 2 : a statement (such as a response) that does
The word for today is… debilitating (adjective): : causing serious impairment of strength or ability to function Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The verb debilitate (and its adjective form debilitating) comes from the Latin word for “weak,” debilis. Often used of disease—as in, “the patient was debilitated”—it can also suggest
The word for today is… winsome (adjective): : generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Winsome comes from Old English wynn, meaning “joy” or “pleasure,” which was altered in spelling to win (with the same meaning). That win is obsolete and is
The word for today is… sophomore (noun): : a student in the second year at college or a 4-year secondary school Source : Online Etymology Dictionary Etymology : 1680s, “student in the second year of university study,” literally “arguer,” altered from sophumer (1650s), from sophume, an archaic variant form of sophism, ultimately from
The word for today is… yaw (noun, verb): noun 1 : the action of yawing, especially a side-to-side movement 2 : the extent of the movement in yawing verb a: of a ship – to deviate erratically from a course (as when struck by a heavy sea) especially to move from side to
The word for today is… euphemism (noun): : the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Euphemism comes from Greek euphemos, which means “uttering sounds of good omen,” “fair-sounding,” or “auspicious.” The first part of that root is
The word for today is… meritorious (adjective): : deserving of honor or esteem Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : People who demonstrate meritorious behavior certainly “earn” our respect, and you can use that fact to remember that meritorious comes from the Latin verb merere, which means “to earn.” Nowadays, the rewards earned for
The word for today is… stir-crazy (adjective): slang : distraught because of prolonged confinement Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Stir-crazy originated as a word to describe a prisoner who became distraught after prolonged confinement. Stir is a 19th-century slang word for “prison” that some word historians have suspected to be from Romani
The word for today is… tome (noun): 1 : book especially : a large or scholarly book 2 : a volume forming part of a larger work -tome (noun combining form) 1 : part, segment – e.g. myotome 2 : cutting instrument – e.g. microtome Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Tome comes from Greek tomos, meaning
The word for today is… finesse (noun,verb): noun : skill and cleverness that is shown in the way someone deals with a situation, problem, etc. verb : to make a finesse in playing cards Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Finesse originally referred to refinement or delicacy of workmanship, structure, or texture; that
The word for today is… layman (noun): 1 : a person who is not a member of the clergy 2 : a person who does not belong to a particular profession or who is not expert in some field Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Layman is a closed compound of lay man. Lay
The word for today is… voluble (adjective): 1 : easily rolling or turning 2 : characterized by ready or rapid speech Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Voluble traces back to Latin volvere, meaning “to set in a circular course” or “to cause to roll.” English rolled with that meaning, using voluble as an
The word for today is… probity (noun): adherence to the highest principles and ideals Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Probity and its synonyms honesty, honor, and integrity all mean uprightness of character or action, with some slight differences in emphasis. Honesty implies a refusal to lie or deceive in any way.
The word for today is… predicate (noun, verb, adjective): A seemingly simple little word today, but a lot lurks within. noun: 1a : something that is affirmed or denied of the subject in a proposition in logic b : a term designating a property or relation 2 :grammar : the part of a
