The word for today is… hackneyed (adjective): : lacking in freshness or originality Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : In his 1926 tome A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, lexicographer H. W. Fowler offers a good deal of advice under the heading “Hackneyed Phrases.” While some of the phrases he cautions against (“too
The word for today is… deus ex machina (noun): 1: a god introduced by means of a crane in ancient Greek and Roman drama to decide the final outcome 2: a person or thing (as in fiction or drama) that appears or is introduced suddenly and unexpectedly and provides a
The word for today is… secular (adjective, noun): adjective 1a: of or relating to the worldly or temporal b: not overtly or specifically religious c: not ecclesiastical or clerical 2: not bound by monastic vows or rules 3a: occurring once in an age or a century b: existing or continuing
The word for today is… melee (noun): leitmotif (noun): 1: an associated melodic phrase or figure that accompanies the reappearance of an idea, person, or situation especially in a Wagnerian music drama 2: a dominant recurring theme Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : In works of art, a motif is an important
The word for today is… cozen (verb): 1: to deceive, win over, or induce to do something by artful coaxing and wheedling or shrewd trickery 2: to gain by cozening someone Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Despite its resemblance to the adjective cozy, the verb cozen has nothing to do with
The word for today is… untenable (adjective): 1: not able to be defended 2: not able to be occupied Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Untenable and its opposite tenable come to us from the Old French verb tenir ("to hold, have possession of"), and ultimately from the Latin verb
The word for today is… gelid (adjective): : extremely cold : icy Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Gelid entered English late in the 16th century from the Latin adjective gelidus, which ultimately comes from the noun gelu, meaning “frost” or “cold.” (The noun gelatin, which can refer to an edible jelly that undergoes
The word for today is… sanctimonious (adjective): 1: hypocritically pious or devout 2 obsolete : possessing sanctity : holy Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : There’s nothing sacred about sanctimonious—at least not anymore. But in the early 1600s, the English adjective was still sometimes used to describe someone truly holy or pious,
The word for today is… cerulean (adjective): resembling the blue of the sky Source: Merriam-Webster Etymology: Like azure, cerulean describes things whose blue color resembles that of a clear sky; it’s often used in literature (especially travel writing) to paint an enticing image of an even more enticing vista,
The word for today is… addlepated (adjective): 1: being mixed up : confused 2: eccentric Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Addlepated combines the words addle and pate. While the meaning of the somewhat rare noun pate (“head”) is straightforward, cracking open the adjective addle is where things get interesting. In Old English,
The word for today is… potpourri (noun): 1: a mixture of flowers, herbs, and spices that is usually kept in a jar and used for scent 2: a miscellaneous collection : medley Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Some people delight in the scent of potpourri, and others find it cloying. Happily, this
The word for today is… rejuvenate (verb): 1a: to make young or youthful again : give new vigour to b: to restore to an original or new state 2a: to stimulate (a stream) to renewed erosive activity especially by uplift b: to develop youthful features of topography in Source : Merriam -Webster
The word for today is… linchpin (noun): 1: a locking pin inserted crosswise (as through the end of an axle or shaft) 2: one that serves to hold together parts or elements that exist or function as a unit Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Also sometimes spelled lynchpin. In his 1857
The word for today is… condone (verb): : to regard or treat (something bad or blameworthy) as acceptable, forgivable, or harmless Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : If you're among people who don't condone even what they consider minor usage slips, you might want to adhere to the more
The word for today is… panjandrum (noun): 1- a pompous self-important official or person of rank 2 - Secret WWII rocket propelled rolling bomb project designed to be used at beach assaults. It was an abject failure and was never deployed in action. Source : Interesting literature.com ; Youtube Etymology : One
The word for today is… diocese (noun): : the territorial jurisdiction of a bishop Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Middle English diocise, dyoces, borrowed from Anglo-French diocise, dyocés, borrowed from Late Latin diocēsis, dioecēsis "administrative district, province, group of provinces (in the later Roman Empire), jurisdiction of a bishop" (Latin,
