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Word For The Day, Tuesday October 31, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". preta [prey-tuh] -nHindu Mythology a wandering or disturbed ghost. [< Sanskrit: dead]

Word For The Day, Tuesday October 24, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". perlocutionary [pur-luh-kyoo-shuh-ner-ee] -adj Philosophy, linguistics (of a speech act) producing an effect upon the listener, as in persuading, frightening, amusing, or causing the listener to act.[First recorded in 1950-55; per- + locution + -ary]

Word For The Day, Tuesday October 17, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". mealy-mouthed [] -adj hesitant or afraid to speak plainly; not outspoken[1570s; first element perhaps from Old English milisc "sweet," from Proto-Germanic *meduz "honey" (see mead (n.1)), which suits the sense, but if the Old English word did not survive long enough to be the source of this, perhaps the first element is from meal (n.2) on notion of the "softness" of ground flour (cf. Middle English...

Word For The Day, Tuesday October10, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". collogue [kuh-lohg] -vi1. to confer secretly. 2. to plot mischief; conspire.[1595-1605; perhaps blend of collude and dialogue]

Word For The Day, Tuesday October3, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". anhedonia [an-hee-doh-nee-uh] -nlack of pleasure or of the capacity to experience it.[1895-1900; < Greek an- an-1+ hēdon(ḗ) pleasure + -ia -ia]

Word For The Day, Tuesday September 26, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". blithe [klan-des-tin] -adj1. joyous, merry, or happy in disposition; glad; cheerful 2. without thought or regard; carefree; heedless[before 1000; Middle English; Old English blīthe; cognate with Old Norse blīthr, Old High German blīdi, Gothic bleiths]

Word For The Day, Tuesday September 19, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". clandestine [klan-des-tin] -adjcharacterized by, done in, or executed with secrecy or concealment, especially for purposes of subversion or deception; private or surreptitious[1560-70; < Latin clandestīnus, equivalent to *clande, *clamde, variant of clam secretly (with -de adv. particle) + -stīnus, probably after intestīnus internal; see intestine]

Word For The Day, Tuesday September 12, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". sinecure [sahy-ni-kyoo r, sin-i-] -adj1. an office or position requiring little or no work, especially one yielding profitable returns. 2. an ecclesiastical benefice without cure of souls.[1655-65; < Medieval Latin (beneficium) sine cūrā (benefice) without care; see cure]

Word For The Day, Tuesday September 5, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". serotinal [si-rot-n-l, ser-uh-tahyn-l] -adjpertaining to or occurring in late summer.[First recorded in 1905-10; serotine1+ -al1]

Word For The Day, Tuesday August 29, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". verisimilar [ver-uh-sim-uh-ler] -adjhaving the appearance of truth; likely; probable[1675-85; < Latin vērīsimil(is) (vērī, genitive singular of vērum truth, + similis like) + -ar1]

Word For The Day, Tuesday August 15, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". inconsequential [in-kon-si-kwen-shuh l, in-kon-] -adj1. of little or no importance; insignificant; trivial. 2. inconsequent; illogical. 3. irrelevant.[First recorded in 1615-25; in-3+ consequential]

Word For The Day, Tuesday August 8, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". surfeit [sur-fit] -n1. excess; an excessive amount: 2. excess or overindulgence in eating or drinking. 3. an uncomfortably full or crapulous feeling due to excessive eating or drinking. 4. general disgust caused by excess or satiety.[1250-1300; (noun) Middle English sorfete, surfait < Middle French surfait, surfet (noun use of past participle of surfaire to overdo), equivalent to sur- sur-1+ fait < Latin factus, past participle of...

Word For The Day, Tuesday August 1, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". anoesis [an-oh-ee-sis] -na state of mind consisting of pure sensation or emotion without cognitive content.[First recorded in 1900-05; a-6+ noesis]

Word For The Day, Tuesday July 25, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". highfalutin [hahy-fuh-loot-n] -adjpompous; bombastic; haughty; pretentious.[1830-40; high + falutin (perhaps orig. flutin, variant of fluting, present participle of flute )]

Word For The Day, Tuesday July 18, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". ovine [oh-vahyn, oh-vin] -adjpertaining to, of the nature of, or like sheep.[1820-30; < Late Latin ovīnus, equivalent to Latin ov(is) sheep + -īnus -ine]

Word For The Day, Tuesday June 20, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". aporia [uh-pawr-ee-uh, uh-pohr-] -n1. Rhetoric. the expression of a simulated or real doubt, as about where to begin or what to do or say. 2. Logic, Philosophy. a difficulty encountered in establishing the theoretical truth of a proposition, created by the presence of evidence both for and against it.[1580-90; < Late Latin < Greek: state of being at a loss, equivalent to ápor(os) impassable (see a-6,...

Word For The Day, Tuesday June 13, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". humblebrag [huhm-buh l-brag] -n1. a statement intended as a boast or brag but disguised by a humble apology, complaint, etc. -vi 2. to make such a disguised boast or brag[First recorded in 2005-10; humble + brag]

Word For The Day, Tuesday June 6, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". apodictic [ap-uh-dik-tik] -adj1. incontestable because of having been demonstrated or proved to be demonstrable. 2. Logic. (of a proposition) necessarily true or logically certain.[1645-55; < Latin apodīcticus < Greek apodeiktikós proving fully. See apo-, deictic]

Word For The Day, Tuesday May 30, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". keysmash [kee-smash] -n1. a random string of letters and symbols typed out on a keyboard or touchscreen, used to signal intense emotion in written communication 2. the action of typing out such a random string of letters or symbols -vi 3. to use keysmashes to signal intense emotion in written communication:[1995-2000; key1(on a computer) + smash]

Word For The Day, Tuesday May 23, 2017 In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". memoriter [muh-mawr-i-ter, -ter, -mohr-] -adv1. by heart; by memory. -adj 2. involving or requiring memorization[1605-15; < Latin, equivalent to memori- (stem of memor) mindful of + -ter adv. suffix]