Word of the Day
by Word of the Day
The huge Amazon Alexa hit Word of the Day is now available as a podcast!Word of the Day teaches you a useful word, its definition, etymology, and gives you examples of how to use it in a sentence. A new word each and every day! Perfect for those looking to expand their vocabulary, learning English and looking for a boost and anyone who loves words.
Episodes
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Brunneous
Brunneous is an adjective that means dark brown. Our word of the day comes almost directly from the Latin word brunneus (broo NAY oose) which means ‘brown.’ Here’s an example of brunneous in use: The brunneous color of the trees is very different from my surroundings during the week. It would be...
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Cerulean
Cerulean is an adjective that means sky blue. Our word of the day dates back to the mid 17th century and the Latin word caelum (KY loom) which means ‘sky.’ Here’s an example of cerulean in use: Andrea’s striking cerulean eyes were the first thing I noticed when I regained consciousness in the...
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Rubricate
Rubricate is a verb that means to color red. The Latin word rubrica (ROO brick uh) means ‘red.’ By the Late 16th century, this word had been imported to English and turned into a verb which meant to turn something red.’ Here’s an example: The author decided to rubricate the letters that indicated...
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Castaneous
Castaneous is an adjective that means chestnut colored. The Latin word for ‘chestnut’ is castanea (cass TAN ee uh). By the 17th century, this would branch off into several English words, including ‘castanets,’ a small musical instrument made of wood and our word of the day, an adjective to…
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Heterogenous
Heterogenous is an adjective that means ‘diverse in character and content.’ Our word of the day is from the Latin word ‘heteros,’ (HET er ose) which means ‘different’ or ‘other.’ It’s been around since the early 17th century. Here’s an example: The heterogenous nature of the animals in that area...
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Handsel
Handsel is a noun that refers to a gift for good luck. Our word of the day dates back to the Middle English period and is occasionally used as a verb just like its synonym ‘gift.’ Here’s an example: When my parents gave me a car as a handsel on my 18th birthday, they didn’t know they were…
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Simpatico
Simpatico is an adjective that means having shared characteristics or attributes. Our word of the day is a loan word that has been borrowed from Italian since the early 20th century. Here’s an example of it. I had a feeling I’d be simpatico with my new neighbors the minute I saw their lawn sign...
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Umbra
Umbra is a noun that refers to a shadow or darkness. Our word of the day began life as a Latin word for ‘shade.’ Since the late 16th century, it’s been an English word for ‘shade’ or ‘shadow.’ Here’s an example: The long umbra cast along the lake is a sight to behold. The fact that it’s a shadow…
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Vocable
Vocable is a noun that refers to a single syllable that carries a meaning despite not being a ‘real’ word. The Latin word vocabulum ( vo COB oo loom) has given us such English words as ‘vocal’ and ‘vocabulary.’ Our word of the day has been around since the Middle English period. Here’s an…
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Lawfare
Lawfare is a noun that refers to the use of lawsuits as a means of intimidation and combat. Our word of the day is a very recent addition to the English language that combines the common English words ‘law’ and ‘warfare.’ here’s an example: After getting laid off, I tried to bully my former boss...
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Variform
variform is an adjective that means ‘being different from another in form. Our word of the day comes from the Latin word varius (VAR ee oos) which means ‘diverse.’ Since the mid-17th century, this word has given birth to a diverse range of descendants, including ‘various,’ ‘variation,’ and the…
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Borborygmus
Borborygmus is a noun that refers to the rumbling or gurgling noise made in the stomach. Our word of the day comes almost directly from a Greek noun that holds the same meaning. It’s been used mostly in medical circles since the early 18th century. Here’s an example: There’s nothing more...
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Vegetate
Vegetate is a verb that means to live or spend time in a dull, inactive way. Our word of the day comes from the Latin word vegere (way GARE ay) which means ‘to be active.’ By the early 17th century, the word had morphed into the English word vegetable. More recently, vegetate has come to mean ‘to...
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Comely
Comely is an adjective that means pleasant or attractive to look at. Our word of the day comes from the Old English period and once meant ‘frail’ or ‘weak.’ Its meaning has been modified more recently and it can now be thought of as a synonym for handsome or beautiful. When I entered the…
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Benthic
Benthic is an adjective that means occurring at the bottom of a body of water. The Greek word ‘benthos.’ (VEN thos) means ‘depth of the sea.’ Since the early 20th century, our word of the day has been used to describe the landscape and activity at those depths. Here’s an example: One of the joys…
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Grum
Grum is an adjective that means sullen or gloomy. The origin of our word of the day is in the Old English period where it meant ‘fierce.’ In time, grum came to take on a meaning similar to words like ‘morose’ and ‘surly.’ Here’s an example: Tommy’s grum demeanor told me it would be a tough day…
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Kairos
Kairos is a noun that refers to a propitious moment for a decision or action. Our word of the day comes directly from the Greek word that means ‘opportunity.’ It’s been around since the 1930s. Here’s an example of kairos in use: When the mayor faced a kairos in his first term, the result was a...
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Beatitude
Beatitude is a noun that refers to supreme happiness. Our word of the day has been around since the late Middle English period and comes from the Latin word beatus (bee AW toos) meaning ‘blessed.’ Here’s an example of it: The sense of beatitude I feel while rock climbing is unlike any other. The...
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Communique
Communique is a verb that refers to an official announcement or statement, especially one made to the media. The Latin word communis (KOE moo noose) means ‘common,’ and it’s given us words as wide-ranging as ‘Communism’ and ‘communication.’ It’s also given us our word of the day which refers to a...
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Verbing
Verbing is a noun that refers to the practice of using a noun as a verb. The Latin word ‘verbum’ (VARE boom) gives us the word verb and also our word of the day ‘verbing.’ It’s been around for about a century. Here’s an example: Holly’s verbing can get a little confusing at times. The other day…
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Skookum
Skookum is an adjective that means strong, brave or impressive. Our word of the day has its origin in the language of the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest. It’s been used since the late 19th century. Here’s an example of skookum in use: I found our boss particularly skookum last…
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Barratry
Barratry is a noun that refers to the act of frequently instigating lawsuits. The Old Norse word for ‘contest’ provides the origin of several words related to the law, such as barrister and bar, as in ‘passing the bar.’ Our word of the day has been around since the Late Middle English period to...
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Virago
Virago is a noun that refers to a screaming woman or a hellcat. The Latin word uirago (we RAHG oh) means ‘female warrior.’ Its descendent, virago, dates back to the Old English period. Here’s an example: When my daughter dressed up as a virago for Halloween, she frightened everybody in the...
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Raft
Raft is a noun that refers to a large number. Our word of the day has been around since the mid-19th century. It’s thought to be derived from the Scandinavian word for ‘abundance.’ Here’s an example of it in use: Coming home after a rough day at work, I was delighted to see a raft of candy bars…
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Audiology
Audiology is a noun that refers to the medicine concerned with the sense of hearing. Our word of the day combines the Latin word ‘audire,’ (OW dee ray) which means ‘hear’ with the Greek suffix O-L-O-G-Y, meaning ‘study of.’ A fairly recent addition to the language, audiology is a study that can...
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Acrophobia
Acrophobia is a noun that refers to a fear of heights. The Greek word akron (AK ron) means ‘summit,’ while the Greek suffix P-H-O-B-I-A means fear. Since the late 19th century people terrified of high places have used our word of the day to describe their condition. Here’s an example: Tammy has...
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Mendicant
Mendicant is a noun that refers to a beggar. The Latin verb mendicare (med duh CAR ay) refers to a ‘beggar.’ Our word of the day entered English in the Late Middle English period. Here’s an example of it in use: Jeff spent many years on the street as a mendicant. Being a beggar has a way of…
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Jeremiad
Jeremiad is a noun that refers to a list of complaints. Our word of the day has its origin in the Biblical figure Jeremiah, whose lamentations were featured in the Old Testament. Since the late 18th century, a jeremiad has been known as a series of criticisms. Here’s an example of it in use…
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Jardiniere
Jardiniere is a noun that refers to an ornamental pot or stand for plants for flowers. Our word of the day is a loan word that comes directly from the French word for ‘gardener.’ It’s been used since the mid-19th century to describe places to display plants or flowers. Here’s an example: When I...
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Schlep
Schlep is a verb that means to haul or carry in an awkward way. Our word of the day comes from the Yiddish word ‘shepn’ (SHLEP - in.) which means ‘to drag.’ Its English offspring has been around since the early 20th century. Here’s an example: Next year when we go on vacation, I think I’ll leave…
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Jactitation
Jactitation is a noun that refers to the restless tossing of a body. The Latin word jactare (jock TAR ay) means ’to toss.’ Its English variation has been around since the 16th century, getting most of its use in a medical context. Here’s an example: All that jactitation I heard on the other side…
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Jacquerie
Jacquerie is a noun that refers to a peasant’s revolt. Our word of the day comes from the French name ‘Jacques’ (zhock) which was a common name among the poor and working class. The term was first used to describe a revolt that took place against the ruling class in the 14th century. It later…
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Presentism
Presentism is an attitude toward the past dominated by present-day beliefs. A recent addition to the English language, presentism emerged in the late 20th century to describe a tendency to view the past through the lens of current conventions. It combines the word ‘present,’ a word of Middle...
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Endarken
Endarken is a verb that means to make dark or darker. You can think of the word endarken as a counterpoint to ‘enlighten.’ Both take words of Old English origin and add the prefix E-N which expresses entry into a specified state or location. Here’s an example of endarken in use: Every time we…
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Forgettery
Forgettery is a noun that refers to the tendency to forget. Our word of the day is a neologism, meaning it’s a recent addition to the English language. Forgettery combines a word of Old English origin that means ‘fail to remember’ with the suffix E-R-Y which denotes a behavior. We see this also…
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Scroyle
Scroyle is a noun that refers to a scoundrel or a mean fellow. Our word of the day’s origin is unknown, but we know it’s not a word you’d ever want to be called. It’s a synonym of such unfriendly words as rascal, charlatan and reprobate. Here’s an example: I’ve been called a scroyle for this, but…
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Contiguous
Contiguous is an adjective that means sharing next or together in sequence. The Latin word contiguus (con TEE goose) means ‘touching.’ Our word of the day is derived from this adjective and has been around the English language since the early 16th century. Here’s an example of its use The...
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Bioluminescence
Bioluminescence is a noun that refers to the ability to naturally glow. Our word of the day comes from two Latin words, ‘bio’ (BEE oh), meaning ‘life,’ and ‘lumin,’ (LOO men) which means ‘light.’ Its descendent, bioluminescence has been around since the early 20th century describing a wide array…
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Echolocation
Echolocation is a noun that refers to the location of objects by reflected sound. Our word of the day combines two words of Greek origin. Echo, which refers to the reflection of sound that occurs when sound bounces off a surface, and location, which means ‘place.’ Animals like bats that possess…
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Legerdemain
Legerdemain is a noun that refers to sleight of hand. The French phrase ‘legerete de main’ (lay ZHEY ray de mahn) translates to ‘lightness of hand.’ It’s a synonym for ‘dextrous’ and it’s often used to describe magicians or others skilled with hand trickery. Our word of the day comes directly…
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Intendiment
Intendiment is a noun that refers to consideration or attention. Our word of the day shares its Latin roots with words like ‘intention’ and ‘intend.’ Intendiment, however, is a synonym for words like ‘attention.’ Here’s an example: When the TV commercial announced a buy one, get one free sale…
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Abulia
Abulia is a noun that refers to an absence of willpower. The Greek word boule (boo LEE) means ‘the will.’ By adding an ‘A’ to our word of the day, we get a word that means ‘without will.’ Abulia has been with us since the mid 19th century. Here’s an example of it in use: Last night there was no...
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Syncope
Syncope is a noun that refers to the temporary loss of consciousness caused by a fall in blood pressure. Our word of the day comes almost directly from a Greek word that means ‘strike’ or ‘cut off.’ By the Late Middle English period, syncope had been adopted into English. Here’s an example…
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Sternutation
Sternutation is a noun that refers to the act of sneezing. The Latin word ‘sternuere’ (stern you AIR ay) means ‘to sneeze.’ After a few modifications, this word moved into the English language in the Late Middle English period. Here’s an example of sternutation in use. After my eye surgery, the...
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Villatic
Villatic is an adjective that means rural. The Latin word villa (WILL uh) has given birth to English words ‘village’ and our word of the day villatic. It’s been around since the late 16th century. Here’s an example of it in use: The villatic surroundings of my uncle’s home were a little unusual…
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Ballyrag
Ballyrag is a verb that means to intimidate by bullying. The origin of our word of the day is unclear, but you can think of it as a synonym for words like ‘berate,’ ‘scold,’ and, of course, ‘bully.’ Here’s an example: I tried to ballyrag everybody in the office into allowing me to listen to...
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Eclat
Eclat is a noun that refers to a brilliant display or effect. Our word of the day comes almost directly from the French word for ‘burst out.’ Since the late 17th century, it’s been used as a noun to refer to anything that bursts out in a prominent or audacious way. Here’s an example of it in use:...
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Misbegotten
Misbegotten is an adjective that means badly conceived or planned. The Middle English word ‘beget’ means ‘to produce offspring.’ Our word of the day originally referred to people who were born out of wedlock. But more recently, it refers to ideas or things that weren’t planned well. For example…
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Obnubilate
Obnubilate is a verb that means to darken or obscure. The Latin word obnubilare (ob new be LAR ay) means ‘to hide’ or ‘to obscure.’ Since the late 16th century our word of the day has been carrying out the same function in English. Example: People thought the scarf I was wearing was an attempt to...
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Zhuzh
Zhuz is a verb that means to make something more lively. Our word of the day has been around since the 1960s, but nobody knows for certain where it came from. Here’s an example of it in use: I was hoping my ten-gallon hat would zhuzh up my swimming trunks. But it just made me look like a really...
About this show
The huge Amazon Alexa hit Word of the Day is now available as a podcast!Word of the Day teaches you a useful word, its definition, etymology, and gives you examples of how to use it in a sentence. A new word each and every day! Perfect for those looking to expand their vocabulary, learning English and looking for a boost and anyone who loves words.
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Word of the Day