jaunty

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 8, 2007 is: jaunty • \JAWN-tee\ • adjective : sprightly in manner or appearance : lively Examples: Flashbulbs lit up the scene as the bubbly actress sashayed down the red carpet, wearing a jaunty little headpiece that complemented her airy designer gown. Did you know? You might not guess that the words "jaunty" and "genteel" are related -- but they are. Both words evolved from the French word "gentil," which carried the sense of "noble." At first "jaunty" was used, like "genteel," for things aristocratic, but as the years went by people stopped using it that way. Today "jaunty" is used to describe things that are lively and perky -- not things that are aristocratic and elegant -- and the only remaining clue to its noble origin is in its pronunciation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.