The word for today is… overwhelm (verb): 1 : upset, overthrow 2a : to cover over completely b : to overcome by superior force or numbers c : to overpower in thought or feeling Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Let’s face it: life can get overwhelming. A person might be overwhelmed by a sensory
The word for today is… glitch (noun): 1a : a usually minor malfunction b : a minor problem that causes a temporary setback 2 : a false or spurious electronic signal Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :There’s a glitch in the etymology of glitch—it may come from the Yiddish glitsh, meaning “slippery
The word for today is… rash (noun, adjective, adverb): noun 1 : an eruption on the body 2 : a large number of instances in a short period adjective 1 : marked by or proceeding from undue haste or lack of deliberation or caution 2 obsolete : quickly effective adverb archaic: in a rash
The word for today is… epitome (noun): 1 : a typical or ideal example : embodiment 2a : a summary of a written work b : a brief presentation or statement of something Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Epitome first appeared in print in the early 16th century, when it was used to mean “summary.
The word for today is… unabashed (adjective): : not abashed : undisguised, unapologetic Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :To abash someone is to shake up their self-possession, as illustrated by Charlotte Brontë in her 1849 novel Shirley: “He had never blushed in his life; no humiliation could abash him.” When you are unabashed
The word for today is… charisma (noun): 1 : a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or enthusiasm for a public figure (such as a political leader) 2 : a special magnetic charm or appeal Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :The Greek word charisma means “favor” or “gift.” It comes from
Karyn Stapleton Ulster University Catherine Loveday University of Westminster Kristy Beers Södertörn University Richard Stephens Keele University Karyn Stapleton is a Senior Lecturer in Interpersonal Communication at Ulster University, Northern Ireland (UK). Catherine Loveday is a graduate of the University of Westminster (formerly PCL) She began her career with a
The word for today is… immutable (adjective): : not capable of or susceptible to change Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Immutable may describe something that is incapable of change, but the word itself—like all words—is mutable, both capable of and prone to alteration. To put a finer point on it,
Carl Sagan famously asked, what is the difference between an invisible, incorporeal dragon that spits heatless fire, and no dragon at all? We might well ask the same of an “aggression” so small that it can’t be detected. If a slight is so tiny as to be literally “micro”
The word for today is… wreak (verb): 1 : bring about, cause wreak havoc 2a : to cause the infliction of (vengeance or punishment) b archaic : avenge 3 : to give free play or course to (malevolent feeling) Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :In its early days, wreak was synonymous with avenge, a meaning
The word for today is… incarcerate (verb): 1 : to put in prison 2 : to subject to confinement Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :A criminal sentenced to incarceration may wish their debt to society could be canceled; such a wistful felon might be surprised to learn that incarcerate and cancel are related.
The word for today is… melancholia (noun): 1 : severe depression characterized especially by profound sadness and despair 2 : a sad quality or mood Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Melancholia traces back to Greek melan- (“black, dark”) and chole (“bile”). Medical practitioners once adhered to the system of humors—bodily fluids that
Patrick Carroll fee.org Patrick Carroll has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo and is an Editorial Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education. Elon Musk’s Twitter-acquisition saga saw new developments last week as Musk reaffirmed his original offer to buy the company for $54.
The word for today is… alleviate (verb): 1 : to make (something, such as pain or suffering) more bearable b : to partially remove or correct (something undesirable) Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Alleviate comes from Latin levis, meaning “having little weight.” (Levis also gave rise to the English adjective light, as in
The word for today is… trivial (adjective): 1a : of little worth or importance b : relating to or being the mathematically simplest case specifically : characterized by having all variables equal to zero 2 : commonplace, ordinary Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Trivial comes from a Latin word meaning “crossroads”—that is, where three
The word for today is… riposte (noun): 1 : a fencer’s quick return thrust following a parry 2 : a retaliatory verbal sally : retort 3 : a retaliatory maneuver or measure Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :In the sport of fencing, a riposte is a counterattack made after successfully fending off one’s
