The word for today is… capricious (adj) – Characterised by, arising from, or subject to caprice; impulsive or unpredictable: Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : The noun caprice, which first appeared in English in the mid-17th century, is a synonym of whim. Evidence shows that the adjective capricious debuted before caprice; both
The word for today is… bunker (noun) – 1. (a) A bin or tank especially for fuel storage, as on a ship. (b) (often bunkers) Fuel, such as coal or fuel oil, used especially in ships. 2. An underground fortification, often with a concrete projection above ground level for observation or
The word for today is… assail (verb) – 1. To attack violently, as with blows or military force; assault. 2. To attack verbally, as with ridicule or censure. 3. To trouble or beset, as with questions or doubts. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Assail comes from an Anglo-French verb, assaillir, which
The word for today is… antebellum (adj) – Belonging to the period before a war, especially the American Civil War. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : ante-bellum also antebellum, from Latin phrase ante bellum, literally “before the war;” see ante- + bellicose. In U.S., usually in reference to the American Civil War
The word for today is… advocate (verb) – To speak, plead, or argue in favor of. (noun) – 1. One that argues for a cause; a supporter or defender. 2. One that pleads in another’s behalf; an intercessor. 3. A lawyer. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : (verb) “Plead in favor of,
The word for today is… truckle (verb) – To be servile or submissive. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : When truckle was first used in English in the 15th century, it meant “small wheel” or “pulley.” Such small wheels were often attached to the underside of low beds to allow them to
The word for today is… stymie (verb) – To be an obstacle to; prevent the advancement or success of; thwart or stump. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Golf was being played in Scotland as early as the 15th century, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that the sport really
The word for today is… refulgence (noun) – Shining radiantly; resplendent. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : “The full bow of the crescent moon peeps above the plain and shoots its gleaming arrows far and wide, filling the earth with a faint refulgence, as the glow of a good man’s deeds
Since we started on the journey to beat The Spinoff with the number of paid members we have starting learning a little more about our audience. There is some fascinating data out there for us, and also for our competitors. Today I will just focus on two metrics, Audience Geographic
The word for today is… quintessence (noun) – 1. The pure, highly concentrated essence of a thing. 2. The purest or most typical instance: the quintessence of evil. 3. In ancient and medieval philosophy, the fifth and highest essence after the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water, thought to
The word for today is… pelagic (adj) – Of, relating to, or living in open oceans or seas rather than waters adjacent to land or inland waters. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Pelagic comes to us from Greek, via Latin. The Greek word pelagikos became pelagicus in Latin and then pelagic
The word for today is… malapropism (noun) – 1. Ludicrous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound. 2. An example of such misuse. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Richard Sheridan’s 1775 play The Rivals, was known for her verbal blunders.
The word for today is… flotsam (noun) – 1. Goods floating on the surface of a body of water after a shipwreck or after being cast overboard to lighten the ship. 2. Discarded or unimportant things. 3. People who are considered to be worthless or to have been rejected by society.
The word for today is… exiguous (adj) – Extremely scanty; meagre. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Exiguous is so expansive sounding that you might expect it to mean “extensive” instead of “meagre.” Even a scanty glimpse at the word’s etymology will disabuse you of that notion, however. Exiguous derives from
The word for today is… bodacious (adj) – 1. Remarkable; impressive. 2. Sexually attractive. Used chiefly of women. 3. Audacious; gutsy. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Some of our readers may know bodacious as a word that figured prominently in the lingo of the 1989 film Bill and Ted’s Excellent
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.
