rebarbative

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 2, 2007 is: rebarbative • \rih-BAR-buh-tiv\ • adjective : repellent, irritating Examples: Adrianna frequently wrote to her local newspaper to complain about the redundant headlines, rebarbative editorial commentary, and grammatical errors. Did you know? You may be surprised to learn that today's word traces back to the Latin word for "beard" -- "barba" -- making it a very distant relative of the English word "beard." But there is some sense to the connection. After all, beards may not be repellent, but they can be prickly and scratchy! Another descendant of Latin "barba" is the English word "barb," which can refer to a sharp projection (as found on barbed wire) or a biting critical remark, both of which can discourage others from getting too close. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.