The word for today is… politesse (noun) – Courteous formality; politeness. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Nowadays, no one refers to a “polite” looking glass or houses “polite” and in good repair, but polite (or polit or polyt, as it was spelled in Middle English) originally meant simply “polished” or “clean.
The word for today is… lorn (adj) – (Archaic) Abandoned; forlorn. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Lorn and forlorn are synonyms that mean “desolate” or “forsaken.” The similarity in form and meaning of the two words is hardly a coincidence. Lorn comes down to us from loren, the Middle English past
The word for today is… gratuitous (adj) – 1. Given or granted without return or recompense; unearned. 2. Given or received without cost or obligation; free. 3. Unnecessary or unwarranted; unjustified. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Like gratitude, grace, and congratulate, gratuitous is a descendant of the Latin word gratus, which
The word for today is… emblem (noun) – 1. A distinctive badge, design, or device. 2. An object or representation that functions as a symbol. 3. An allegorical picture usually inscribed with a verse or motto presenting a moral lesson. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Both emblem and its synonym symbol
The word for today is… disingenuous (adj) – 1. Not straightforward or candid; insincere or calculating. 2. Pretending to be unaware or unsophisticated; faux-naïf. 3. Unaware or uninformed; naive. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : A disingenuous remark might contain some superficial truth, but it is delivered with the intent to deceive
The word for today is… collimate (verb) – 1. To make parallel; line up. 2. To adjust the line of sight of (an optical device). Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : One might expect a science-y word like collimate to have a straightforward etymology, but that’s not the case. Collimate comes
The word for today is… appellation (noun) – 1. A name, title, or designation. 2. A protected name under which a wine may be sold, indicating that the grapes used are of a specific kind from a specific district. 3. The act of naming. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Ask a
The word for today is… vanilla (noun) – 1. Any of various tropical American vines of the genus Vanilla in the orchid family, especially V. planifolia, widely cultivated for its long narrow seedpods, which yield an aromatic substance used especially as a flavouring. 2. The seedpod of this plant. Also called
The word for today is… umbra (noun) – 1. A dark area, especially the blackest part of a shadow from which all light is cut off. 2. (Astronomy) (a) The completely dark central portion of the shadow cast by the earth, moon, or other body during an eclipse. (b) The darkest
The word for today is… regurgitate (verb) – 1. To cause to pour back, especially to cast up (partially digested food). 2. To repeat (facts or other learned items) from memory with little reflection. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Something regurgitated has typically been taken in, at least partially digested, and
The word for today is… promulgate (verb) – 1. To make known to the public; popularise or advocate. 2. To put (a law, for example) into effect by formal public announcement. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : The origin of promulgate is a bit murky, or perhaps we should say “milky.” It
The word for today is… peccant (adj) – 1. Sinful; guilty. 2. Violating a rule or an accepted practice; erring. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Peccant comes from the Latin verb peccare, which means “to sin,” “to commit a fault,” or “to stumble,” and is related to the better-known English word
The word for today is… obstinate (adj) – 1. (a) Stubbornly adhering to an attitude, opinion, or course of action; obdurate. (b) Characterised by such adherence: an obstinate refusal. 2. Difficult to manage, control, or treat. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : If you’re obstinate, you’re just plain stubborn. Obstinate,
The word for today is… nabob (noun) – 1. A governor in India under the Mughal Empire. Also called nawab. 2. A person of wealth and prominence. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : In India’s Mogul Empire, founded in the 16th century, provincial governors carried the Urdu title of naw?b.
The word for today is… hypnagogic (adj) – 1. Inducing sleep; soporific. 2. Of, relating to, or occurring in the state of intermediate consciousness preceding sleep. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : “The hypnagogic state is that heady lull between wakefulness and sleep when thoughts and images flutter, melt, and transform into
The word for today is… facilitate (verb) – 1. To make easy or easier. 2. To lead (a discussion), as by asking questions, mediating between opposing viewpoints, or ensuring that all participants’ views are heard. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : As with so many English words, it’s easy to find
