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WORD OF THE DAY DETAILS

# Title Description Date
1 Germane

Germane is a formal synonym of relevant that describes something related to a subject in an appropriate way.

// Her comments were not germane to the discussion. // While these facts about the witness may interest the jury, they are not in fact germane.

09-Mar-2024
2 Resolute

firmly resolved or determined; set in purpose or opinion.

08-Mar-2024
3 Descry

Descry is a literary word that, like discover or find out, means “to come to realize or understand something.” Descry can also mean “to catch sight of.”

// In their research, the bryologists descried an association between a moss and the iron content of the rock it typically grows on.

// From the tops of the high dunes, we could just descry the ship coming over the horizon.

07-Mar-2024
4 Pilcrow

a paragraph mark.

05-Mar-2024
5 Salubrious

Salubrious is a formal word that means “favorable to or promoting health or well-being.”

// They picked up several salubrious habits on their wellness retreat in Bali.

04-Mar-2024
6 Proximity

Proximity is the quality or state of being near or proximate. The word proximity is synonymous with closeness.

// The apartment's proximity to hiking trails is a definite plus.

02-Mar-2024
7 Inveterate

Inveterate is a formal word used to describe someone who is always or often doing something specified. For instance, a person could be an inveterate liar or an inveterate prankster. Inveterate can also mean "firmly established by long persistence," as in "an inveterate tendency to overlook the obvious."

// She's an inveterate traveler who constantly searches for flight deals to her next destination.

// Carla’s inveterate optimism keeps her going during challenging times.

01-Mar-2024
8 liminal

1. having the nature of a transitional space, phase, or experience

2. (psychology) relating to the threshold beyond which sensation cannot be perceived

29-Feb-2024
9 Jeopardy

Jeopardy is defined as "exposure to or imminence of death, loss, or injury"; it is synonymous with danger. In legal contexts, jeopardy refers specifically to the danger that an accused person is subjected to when on trial for a criminal offense.

// Rather than risk placing passengers in jeopardy, the pilot waited for the storm to pass before taking off.

28-Feb-2024
10 Retinue

A retinue is a group of helpers, supporters, or followers.

// The venue relies on a retinue of workers to carry out large events.

27-Feb-2024
11 Caterwaul

To caterwaul is to make a very loud and unpleasant sound. Caterwaul can also mean “to protest or complain noisily.”

// The woods were quiet until the sound of a chainsaw caterwauling in the distance broke the calm.

// They continue to caterwaul about having to take the blame.

26-Feb-2024
12 Voracious

Voracious describes someone who has a huge appetite. It can also be used figuratively to mean "excessively eager," as in "a voracious reader."

// It seemed like the voracious kitten was eating her weight in food every day.

// She has her voracious appetite for knowledge to thank for graduating at the top of her class.

24-Feb-2024
13 Whoosis

an object or person whose name is not known or cannot be recalled.

23-Feb-2024
14 Haggard

Someone described as haggard appears tired or thin especially as if because of hunger, worry, or pain. Haggard can also describe someone who looks wild or otherwise disheveled.

// After a disastrous rafting trip, Robin emerged from the woods looking haggard but otherwise unscathed.

22-Feb-2024
15 Oxymoron

a figure of speech that produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect.

21-Feb-2024
16 Prestigious

Something described as prestigious has the respect and admiration that someone or something gets for being successful or important.

// Chelsea’s mom often bragged about her daughter’s job at the prestigious company.

20-Feb-2024
17 Fathom

To fathom something is to understand the reason for its existence or occurrence.

// Even those close to him can't always fathom why he repeatedly risks his life to climb the world’s tallest mountains.

19-Feb-2024
18 Rapport

When you have a rapport with someone, your relationship is characterized by agreement, mutual understanding, or empathy that makes communication possible or easy.

// Once our daughter had developed a rapport with her piano teacher, she began to show some real enthusiasm for learning and practicing the piano.

17-Feb-2024
19 Zither

a musical instrument, consisting of a flat sounding box with numerous strings stretched over it, that is placed on a horizontal surface and played with a plectrum and the fingertips.

16-Feb-2024
20 Enervate

Enervate is a formal word used for situations in which someone or something is being sapped of physical or mental vigor, vitality, or strength. The verb is most common in the participial forms enervated and enervating, as in "children enervated by the summer afternoon heat" and "a tedious discussion we found completely enervating."

// The person giving the lengthy toast seemed to be completely unaware of the degree to which he was enervating his audience.

15-Feb-2024
21 Bed rotting

the practice of spending many hours in bed during the day, often with snacks or an electronic device, as a voluntary retreat from activity or stress.

14-Feb-2024
22 Stellar Nursery

a molecular cloud in which new stars are being formed.

13-Feb-2024
23 Quirk

Quirk refers to an unusual habit or way of behaving. It can also refer to something strange that happens by chance, as in “a quirk of fate.”

// For an icebreaker, we were each asked to share a noteworthy quirk about ourselves. Mine was that I have to make sure every square of my waffles is buttered evenly before I eat them.

12-Feb-2024
24 Wyvern

a two-legged winged dragon having the hinder part of a serpent with a barbed tail.

10-Feb-2024
25 Carl Jung

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.

09-Feb-2024
26 Tedious

1. so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness

2. using or containing too many words

08-Feb-2024
27 Quotidian

daily.

07-Feb-2024
28 Signet

Signet refers to a seal used officially to give personal authority to a document in lieu of a signature, or to the impression made by or as if by such a seal.

// The ring had been passed down for generations, and bore an intricate intaglio signet.

06-Feb-2024
29 Gratuitous

Gratuitous describes things that are not necessary, appropriate, or justified, as in "a gratuitous insult" or "a gratuitous assumption." Gratuitous can also mean "free."

// The film was criticized for its gratuitous violence.

// A local veterinary technician provides gratuitous services to the animal shelter twice a month.

05-Feb-2024
30 Acquisitive

Someone or something described as acquisitive is characterized by a strong desire to own or acquire more things.

// The game aims to teach middle schoolers to balance their acquisitive instincts with a consideration of what will benefit society as a whole.

03-Feb-2024
31 Risible

causing or capable of causing laughter; laughable; ludicrous.

02-Feb-2024
32 Damask

Damask refers to a usually shiny, thick fabric (linen, cotton, silk, or rayon) made with patterns. The word can also be used as a synonym for Damascus steel, or for a grayish-red color.

// The old chair was upholstered in a blue silk damask which was now faded and threadbare.

01-Feb-2024
33 Cavil

to raise irritating and trivial objections; find fault with unnecessarily.

31-Jan-2024
34 Bailiwick

Bailiwick refers to the domain or sphere in which someone has superior knowledge or authority.

// Fundraising events are his bailiwick.

30-Jan-2024
35 Emote

To emote is to express emotion in a very dramatic or obvious way.

// He stood on the stage, emoting and gesturing wildly.

29-Jan-2024
36 Docile

Docile is used to describe those who are easily taught, led, or managed.

// Though the professor feared a rowdy incoming class, he found that his new students were docile and eager to learn.

27-Jan-2024
37 Vivacious

Someone or something described as vivacious is happy and lively in an appealing way.

// Our vivacious host’s bubbly humor and welcoming spirit quickly set everyone at ease.

25-Jan-2024
38 Gullywasher

a usually short, heavy rainstorm.

24-Jan-2024
39 Unfettered

Unfettered describes what is not controlled or restricted. It is a synonym of both free and unrestrained.

// The biographer has been given unfettered access to the family's collection of personal correspondence.

23-Jan-2024
40 Conflate

Two closely related meanings of the verb conflate are “to confuse,” i.e. “to fail to differentiate,” and “to blend or bring together.”

// Be careful not to conflate gossip with real news.

// The movie conflates documentary footage and dramatized reenactments so seamlessly and ingeniously that viewers may not know what is real and what is not.

22-Jan-2024
41 Outage

a period of time when there is no electricity in a building or area

  • The power outage left us in the dark for five hours. [=we did not have electrical power for five hours]

20-Jan-2024
42 Susurrus

a soft murmuring or rustling sound; whisper.

19-Jan-2024
43 Axiomatic

Axiomatic is a formal adjective that describes something—usually a statement—that is understood as obviously true, such that it is or should be taken for granted.

// It is axiomatic that successful athletes are not just talented, but have put in years of dedicated training.

18-Jan-2024
44 Aberration

the act of departing from the right, normal, or usual course.

16-Jan-2024
45 De rigueur

strictly required, as by etiquette, usage, or fashion.

15-Jan-2024
46 Gargoyle

A gargoyle is a strange or grotesque human or animal figure that sticks out from the roof of a building (such as a church) and is used to cause rainwater to flow away from the building's sides.

// Some of the exchange students were creeped out by all the gargoyles they passed during their walking tour of the old European town.

13-Jan-2024
47 Enigma

a person of puzzling or contradictory character.

12-Jan-2024
48 Mangle

To mangle something is to ruin it due to carelessness or a lack of skill. Mangle can also mean “to injure or damage something or someone severely by cutting, tearing, or crushing.”

// Half-remembering a joke from her favorite sitcom, Ally mangled the punch line, but honestly, this made it even funnier.

11-Jan-2024
49 Muster

to gather, summon, rouse (often followed by up).

10-Jan-2024
50 Aplomb

imperturbable self-possession, poise, or assurance.

09-Jan-2024