Word of the Day archive

1,828 words, one a day, each chosen for an interesting meaning or history. Scroll back through the years.

  1. anticipatoryCharacterized by anticipation.
  2. symphonyAn extended piece of music of sophisticated structure, usually for orchestra.
  3. convenientServing to reduce a difficulty, or accessible with minimum difficulty; expedient.
  4. psychicalPerformed by or pertaining to the psyche (the mind, spirit, or both): mental, psychic.
  5. menialOf or relating to work normally performed by a servant.
  6. makeshiftA temporary (usually insubstantial) substitution.
  7. vassalThe grantee of a fief, a subordinate granted use of a superior's land and its income in exchange for vows of fidelity and homage and (typically) military service.
  8. expenditureAct of expending or paying out.
  9. citrineA goldish-yellow colour, like that of a lemon.
  10. degradationThe act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society
  11. gratuitousGiven freely; unearned.
  12. beaucoupMuch, many, a lot of.
  13. thereinin that; in that place; in him/her/it.
  14. twinklingSparkling intermittently.
  15. saguaroCarnegiea gigantea, a large cactus native to the Sonoran Desert and characterized by its "arms".
  16. chubbyOf a person: slightly overweight, somewhat fat, and hence plump, rounded, and soft.
  17. firmamentThe vault of the heavens, where the clouds, sun, moon, and stars can be seen; the heavens, the sky.
  18. belligerentEngaged in warfare, warring.
  19. poodleA breed of dog originating in Europe as hunting dogs, and having heavy, curly coat in a solid color; their shoulder height indicates their classification as standard, medium, miniature, or toy.
  20. romanticaErotic romance.
  21. disaffectionDiscontent; unrest.
  22. aqueousOf or relating to water.
  23. immaculateHaving no blemish or stain; absolutely clean and tidy.
  24. crotonAny of various plants, of the genus Croton, that yield croton oil.
  25. fighterA person who fights; a combatant.
  26. profoundlyWith depth, meaningfully.
  27. overconfidenceAn excessive or unwarranted degree of confidence.
  28. smartlyWith a fine or fashionable appearance.
  29. indelibleHaving the quality of being difficult to delete, remove, wash away, blot out, or efface.
  30. dissimilarityA lack of similarity or a lack of likeness in appearance to something else.
  31. misogynyHatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women.
  32. formularyA list of formulas; a collection of set forms to be followed, especially in religious belief.
  33. veracityThe quality of speaking or stating the truth; truthfulness.
  34. princelyRelating to a prince.
  35. trustworthyDeserving of trust, reliable.
  36. hazardA game of chance played with dice, usually for monetary stakes, popular mainly from 14th c. to 19th c.
  37. stifflyWith stiffness; lacking a smooth flow of movement, or lacking movement altogether.
  38. disarrayTo throw into disorder; to break the array of.
  39. insufficiencyThe lack of sufficiency: a shortage, the state of having or being not enough (of something).
  40. brainstormTo investigate something, or solve a problem using brainstorming.
  41. edamameFresh green soybeans boiled as a vegetable.
  42. midnightThe middle of the night: the sixth temporal hour, equidistant between sunset and sunrise.
  43. billionaireSomebody whose wealth is at least one billion (10⁹) currency units (usually understood to exclude holders of hyperinflated currencies).
  44. animismA belief that spirits inhabit some or all classes of natural objects or phenomena.
  45. nibbleTo take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, of (something).
  46. delightfulPleasant; pleasing, bringing enjoyment, satisfaction, or pleasure.
  47. surprisingCausing surprise.
  48. swiftlyIn a swift manner; quickly; with quick motion or velocity; fleetly.
  49. scrawlIrregular, poor handwriting; especially, such writing that is illegible.
  50. cashelIn early Ireland, a ringfort or a circular stone structure used for defense.
  51. bunkerA hardened shelter, often partly buried or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks.
  52. awesomeCausing awe or terror; inspiring wonder or excitement.
  53. draughtsmanA person skilled at drawing engineering or architectural plans.
  54. convectionThe process of conveying something.
  55. autobahnThe high-speed intercity highways of Germany and Austria.
  56. courageousOf a person, displaying or possessing courage.
  57. madeiraA type of fortified wine produced on that island.
  58. excretionThe process of removing or ejecting material that has no further utility, especially from the body; the act of excreting.
  59. likewiseIn a similar manner.
  60. redeemTo recover ownership of something by buying it back.
  61. psychiatristA medical doctor specializing in psychiatry.
  62. prefaceA beginning or introductory portion that comes before the main text of a document or book, typically serving to contextualize or explain the writing of the book and sometimes to acknowledge others' contributions; especially, such a discussion written by the work's own author.
  63. marquessA title of nobility for a man ranking beneath a duke and above an earl (count).
  64. prevalentWidespread or preferred.
  65. faintlyIn a faint manner; very quietly or lightly.
  66. tailedHaving a tail.
  67. venomousOf an animal (specifically a snake) or parts of its body: producing venom (“a toxin intended for defensive or offensive use”) which is usually injected into an enemy or prey by biting or stinging; hence, of a bite or sting: injecting venom.
  68. baklavaA sweet pastry found in many cuisines of the Middle East and the Balkans, made of chopped nuts layered with phyllo pastry.
  69. wildfireA rapidly spreading fire, especially one occurring in a wildland area.
  70. confidantA person in whom one can confide or share one's secrets: a friend.
  71. circulationThe act of moving in a circle, or in a course which brings the moving body to the place where its motion began.
  72. lancetA sharp, pointed, two-edged surgical instrument used in venesection and for opening abscesses etc.
  73. chlamydiaAny of several common, often asymptomatic, sexually transmitted diseases caused by the microorganism Chlamydia trachomatis.
  74. amalgamateTo merge, to combine, to blend, to join.
  75. stomachAn organ in animals that stores food in the process of digestion.
  76. unrepentantFeeling or showing no sorrow or regret for wrongdoing.
  77. murderAn act of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination.
  78. brouhahaA stir; a fuss or uproar.
  79. crucialEssential or decisive for determining the outcome or future of something; extremely important; vital.
  80. hedgehogA small mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, characterized by their spiny back and often by the habit of rolling up into a ball when attacked, native to Afro-Eurasia.
  81. opiateRelating to, resembling, or containing opium.
  82. ghazalA poetic form mostly used for love poetry in Middle Eastern, South, and Central Asian poetry.
  83. capitalizeIn writing or editing, to write (something: either an entire word or text, or just the initial letter(s) thereof) in capital letters, in upper case.
  84. scrivenerA professional writer; one whose occupation is to draw contracts or prepare writings.
  85. nighttimeThe hours of darkness between sunset and sunrise; the night.
  86. capriciousImpulsive and unpredictable; determined by chance, impulse, or whim.
  87. conservatoryHaving the quality of preserving from loss, decay, or injury.
  88. bristleA stiff or coarse hair on a nonhuman mammal or on a plant.
  89. pickerA worker responsible for picking or retrieving ordered items, etc.
  90. abjectExisting in or sunk to a low condition, position, or state; contemptible, despicable, miserable.
  91. gatheringA meeting or get-together; a party or social function.
  92. attilaA short, fringed cape worn as part of traditional Hungarian costume.
  93. cashierTo dismiss (someone, especially military personnel) from service.
  94. impairmentThe result of being impaired.
  95. witchcraftThe practice of witches; magic, sorcery, or the use of supernatural powers to influence or predict events.
  96. spaceportA site for launching spacecraft.
  97. shoestringThe string or lace used to secure a shoe to the foot; a shoelace.
  98. mankindThe human race in its entirety.
  99. shamanA traditional faith healer.
  100. spurgeAny plant of the genus Euphorbia, a diverse genus of over 2,000 species.
  101. unbelievableNot to be believed.
  102. terrorismThe system of fear and intimidation put into place during the Reign of Terror in Revolutionary France around 1793-94.
  103. exclamationThe act of loudly calling or crying out, for example, as in anger, grief or pain, joy, surprise, etc.; (countable) an instance of this.
  104. consciousnessThe state of being conscious or aware; awareness.
  105. hollowA small valley between mountains.
  106. bellwetherThe leading sheep of a flock, having a bell hung round its neck.
  107. rationaleAn explanation of the basis or fundamental reasons for something.
  108. phonemeAn indivisible unit of sound in a given language. A phoneme is an abstraction of the physical speech sounds (phones) and may encompass several different phones.
  109. fanzineA magazine, normally produced by amateurs, intended for people who share a common interest.
  110. asymptomaticNot exhibiting any symptoms of disease, as for example in a case which is subclinical (“without signs detectable by physical examination or laboratory test”).
  111. paleolithicOf or referring to the Old Stone Age (the Paleolithic period or Paleolithic age).
  112. prefectAn official of Ancient Rome who controlled or superintended a particular command, charge, department, etc.
  113. happilyIn a happy or cheerful manner; with happiness.
  114. pelvicOf, pertaining to, or in the region of, the pelvis
  115. messiahThe one who is ordained by God to lead the people of Israel, believed by Christians and Muslims to be Jesus Christ.
  116. sliverA long piece cut or rent off; a sharp, slender fragment.
  117. promontoryA high point of land extending into a body of water, headland; cliff.
  118. peddlerAn itinerant seller of small goods.
  119. plaicePleuronectes platessa (European plaice), commonly found in the North Sea and Irish Sea, with smooth brown skin and red or orange spots.
  120. bonanzaA rich mine or vein of silver or gold.