The word for today is… proffer (verb): : to present for acceptance Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :As rhyming synonyms, proffer and offer are quite the pair, and we can proffer an explanation as to why: both come ultimately from Latin offerre, meaning “to present, tender, proffer, offer.” Offer had been part
The word for today is… gargantuan (adjective): : tremendous in size, volume, or degree Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Gargantua is the name of a giant king in François Rabelais’s 16th-century satiric novel Gargantua, the second part of a five-volume series about the giant and his son Pantagruel. All
The word for today is… expiditious (adjective): : marked by or acting with prompt efficiency Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Expeditious has had quite the journey through the English language. It comes to us from the related noun expedition, which in turn comes from the Latin verb expedire (“to set free” or
The word for today is… atone (verb): : to make amends : to provide or serve as reparation or compensation for something bad or unwelcome —usually + for Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Atone has its roots in the idea of reconciliation and harmony. It grew out of the Middle English phrase at on
The word for today is… languid (adjective): 1 : drooping or flagging from or as if from exhaustion 2 : sluggish in character or disposition 3 : lacking force or quickness of movement Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Depending on its context, languid can suggest a lack of strength, lack of energy, or lack
The word for today is… emblazon (verb): 1a : to inscribe or adorn with or as if with heraldic bearings or devices b : to inscribe (something, such as heraldic bearings) on a surface 2 : celebrate, extol Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Blazon is a less commonly used synonym of the more familiar
The word for today is… critique (noun, verb): noun : an act of criticizing verb : to examine critically, review Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :What’s the difference between criticism and critique? There’s some overlap in meaning, but they’re not the same in every situation. Criticism is most often used
The word for today is… proselytise (verb): 1 : to induce someone to convert to one’s faith 2 : to recruit someone to join one’s party, institution, or cause Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Proselytise comes from the noun proselyte, meaning “a new convert,” which in turn ultimately comes from the
The word for today is… ritzy (adjective): 1 : snobbish 2 : impressively or ostentatiously fancy or stylish Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :César Ritz (1850-1918) earned worldwide renown for the luxurious hotels bearing his name in London and Paris. (The Ritz-Carlton hotel company is a contemporary descendant of these enterprises.
The word for today is… kerfuffle (noun): : a disturbance or commotion typically caused by a dispute or conflict Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Fuffle is an old Scottish verb that means “to muss” or “to throw into disarray”—in other words, to (literally) ruffle someone’s (figurative) feathers. The addition of
The word for today is… sporadic (adjective): : occurring occasionally, singly, or in irregular or random instances Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :You never know where or when the occasion to use sporadic will pop up, but when it does, sporadic is the perfect choice to describe something that happens randomly or
The word for today is… caucus (noun, verb): noun 1: a closed meeting of a group of persons belonging to the same political party or faction usually to select candidates or to decide on policy 2: a group of people united to promote an agreed-upon cause verb : to meet
The word for today is… anthropomorphic (adjective): 1 : described or thought of as having a human form or human attributes 2 : ascribing human characteristics to nonhuman things Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :We are endlessly fascinated by the uniqueness and complexity of human language. Many species use sounds and gestures to
The word for today is… conscription (noun): : compulsory enrollment of persons especially for military service Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :With its scrip- root, conscription means basically writing someone’s name on a list—a list that, unfortunately, a lot of people usually don’t want to be on. Conscription has
The word for today is… misnomer (noun): 1 : the misnaming of a person in a legal instrument 2a : a use of a wrong or inappropriate name b : a wrong name or inappropriate designation Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :What’s in a name? Well, in some cases, a name will contain
The word for today is… defer (verb): 1a : put off, delay 1b : to postpone induction of (a person) into military service 2 : to delegate to another Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :There are two distinct words spelled defer in English, each with its own history and meaning. The defer having to
