The word for today is… oxymoron (noun) - : a combination of contradictory or incongruous words (such as cruel kindness), broadly : something (such as a concept) that is made up of contradictory or incongruous elements Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : While we are loath to place restrictions on language use, oxymoron usually refers
The word for today is… zeugma (noun) - : the use of a word to modify or govern two or more words usually in such a manner that it applies to each word in a different sense (as "opened" in "opened the door and her heart to the stray
The word for today is… cuspidor (noun) - : spittoon Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Cuspidor entered English in the early 18th century via the Portuguese word cuspidouro, meaning "place for spitting." The Portuguese word, unsurprisingly, has its origins in Latin: the word conspuere comes from the prefix com- and spuere,
The word for today is… farrago (noun) - : a confused mixture : hodgepodge Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Farrago might seem an unlikely relative of farina (the name for the mealy breakfast cereal), but the two terms have their roots in the same Latin noun. Both derive from far, the Latin name for
The word for today is… popinjay (noun) - : a strutting supercilious person Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Popinjays and parrots are birds of a feather. Popinjay, from the Middle French word papegai, is the original name for a parrot in English. The French word, in turn, came from the Arabic word for
The word for today is… refuge (noun, verb) - noun 1: shelter or protection from danger or distress 2: a place that provides shelter or protection 3: something to which one has recourse in difficulty verb : to give refuge to : to seek or take refuge Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : The re-
The word for today is… gnomic (adjective) - 1: characterized by aphorism 2: given to the composition of gnomic writing Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : A gnome is an aphorism—that is, an observation or sentiment reduced to the form of a saying. Gnomes are sometimes couched in metaphorical or figurative language,
The word for today is… incriminate (verb) - : to charge with or show evidence or proof of involvement in a crime or fault Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Testimony may incriminate a suspect by placing him at the scene of a crime, and incriminating evidence is the kind that strongly links him
The word for today is… sotto voce (adverb or adjective) - 1: under the breath : in an undertone, also : in a private manner 2: very softly —used as a direction in music Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Sotto voce functions both as an adverb ("she began telling us sotto voce about
The word for today is… louche (adjective) - : not reputable or decent Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Louche ultimately comes from the Latin word luscus, meaning "blind in one eye" or "having poor sight." This Latin term gave rise to the French louche, meaning "squinting" or
The word for today is… plenipotentiary (adjective, noun) - adjective 1: invested with full power 2: of or relating to a plenipotentiary noun : a person and especially a diplomatic agent invested with full power to transact business Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : The adjective plenipotentiary is typically used after the noun it
The word for today is… martinet (noun) - 1: a strict disciplinarian 2: a person who stresses a rigid adherence to the details of forms and methods Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : When France's King Louis XIV appointed Lieutenant Colonel Jean Martinet to be inspector general of the infantry in
The word for today is… double entendre (noun) - 1 linguistics : a word or expression capable of two interpretations with one usually risqué 2 literature : ambiguity of meaning arising from language that lends itself to more than one interpretation Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : The words double entendre and pun are both
The word for today is… élan (noun) - : vigorous spirit or enthusiasm Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Once upon a time, English speakers did not have élan (the word, that is; we have always had the potential for vigorous spirit). We had, however, the verb elance, meaning "to throw," that
The word for today is… chlamys (noun) - : a short oblong mantle worn by young men of ancient Greece Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : If you had been a man of ancient Greece, you'd likely have worn a chlamys from time to time. This cloak was a short, oblong mantle,
The word for today is… anneal (verb) - transitive verb 1a: to heat and then cool (a material, such as steel or glass) usually for softening and making less brittle, also : to cool slowly usually in a furnace b: to cause two complementary strands of nucleic acid (such as DNA or
