The word for today is… tontine (noun) - : a joint financial arrangement whereby the participants usually contribute equally to a prize that is awarded entirely to the participant who survives all the others Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Tontines were named after their creator, a Neapolitan banker named Lorenzo Tonti. In 1653,
The word for today is… ravenous (adjective) - 1: rapacious 2: very eager or greedy for food, satisfaction, or gratification Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Ravenous and ravishing are not synonyms, and mixing these two words may lead to potentially awkward writing or conversation. Ravenous is commonly used with the meaning “very
The word for today is… epenthesis (noun) - : the insertion or development of a sound or letter in the body of a word Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : If you say film as "FIL-um," with two syllables, you've committed epenthesis. It isn't a punishable offense-
The word for today is… comity (noun) - 1a: friendly social atmosphere : social harmony b: a loose widespread community based on common social institutions c: comity of nations d: the informal and voluntary recognition by courts of one jurisdiction of the laws and judicial decisions of another 2: avoidance of proselytizing
The word for today is… predispose (verb) - 1: to dispose in advance 2: to make susceptible Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : What exactly is someone's disposition? And is it different from a predisposition? A person's disposition is his or her usual mood or attitude. Are you typically
The word for today is… profusion (noun) - 1: lavish expenditure : extravagance 2: the quality or state of being profuse 3: great quantity : lavish display or supply Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : A profusion is literally a "pouring forth", so a profusion of gifts is a wealth or abundance of
The word for today is… meretricious (adjective) - 1 formal + disapproving a: tastelessly showy and falsely attractive b: superficially (see superficial sense 2) significant : pretentious 2: of or relating to a person who engages in sex acts and especially sexual intercourse in exchange for pay Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Meretricious can
The word for today is… excrescence (noun) - 1: a projection or outgrowth especially when abnormal 2: a disfiguring, extraneous, or unwanted mark or part : blot 3: by-product Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Warts and pimples are common excrescences that can usually be wiped out with medication; other excrescences such as
The word for today is… foppery (noun) - 1: foolish character or action : folly 2: the behavior or dress of a fop Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : The word fop once referred to a foolish or silly person, a meaning that is now obsolete. The current sense of "fop" - a
The word for today is… eureka (interjection, adjective) - interjection : used to express triumph on a discovery adjective : marked by usually sudden triumphant discovery Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : I think this is the first interjection we have featured - a red letter day. When people exclaim “Eureka!” they are harking back to
The word for today is… corpulent (adjective) - : having a large bulky body : obese Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : The Duchess of Windsor may have said that you can never be too rich or too thin, but that's a rather modern point of view. In earlier times in Europe, being
The word for today is… melee (noun): homonym (noun) - 1a grammar : homophone b grammar : homograph c grammar : one of two or more words spelled and pronounced alike but different in meaning (such as the noun quail and the verb quail) 2: namesake 3 biology : a taxonomic designation rejected as invalid
The word for today is… 1 British : a dealer in notions 2: a dealer in men's clothing and accessories Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : At various times throughout its history, the term haberdasher has referred to a dealer of hats or caps, a seller of notions (sewing supplies, such
The word for today is… panegyric (noun) - : a eulogistic oration or writing, also : formal or elaborate praise Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : On certain fixed dates throughout the year, the ancient Greeks would come together for religious meetings. Such gatherings could range from hometown affairs to great national assemblies, but large
The word for today is… strait (noun, adjective, adverb) - noun 1a: a comparatively narrow passageway connecting two large bodies of water —often used in plural but singular in construction b: isthmus c archaic : a narrow space or passage 2: a situation of perplexity or distress —often used in plural adjective
The word for today is… excursion (noun) - 1a: a going out or forth : expedition b(1): a usually brief pleasure trip (2): a trip at special reduced rates 2: deviation from a direct, definite, or proper course, especially : digression 3: a movement outward and back or from a mean position
