Word of the Day Archive for 2010

canard - a false report or statement
cabal - a clique that seeks power usually through intrigue
effusive - extravagantly demonstrative
inveigle - to persuade by charm or flattery; to lure
encomium - a formal expression of warm or high praise
supplant - to take the place of
arcane - hidden; secret; obscure; esoteric
placate - to appease; to pacify
doughty - steadfastly resolute; brave; valiant; noble
sapient - wise; sage; discerning
encumbrance - a burden or impediment
hyperbole - extravagant exaggeration
bestow - to present as a gift
parlous - attended with peril; fraught with danger
gelid - extremely cold; frozen
disheveled - in loose disorder; unkempt
maladroit - clumsy; awkward; unskillful
voluble - marked by a ready flow of speech
clerisy - the well educated class or intellectual elite
diatribe - a bitter, abusive verbal attack or speech
logorrhea - pathologically excessive, incoherent talking
prevaricate - to evade the truth
germane - relevant or appropriate; fitting
primordial - having existed from the beginning
boodle - the whole collection, crowd, pack or lot
cede - to yield or surrender
ephemeral - short-lived; existing for a short time
reverie - a daydream or deep musing
inscrutable - difficult to understand; obscure
illustrious - possessing luster or brightness
vertiginous - affected with vertigo; giddy; dizzy
sanctum - a sacred place
contemporaneous - occurring in the same period of time
neophyte - a novice or beginner
incontrovertible - indisputable
indigent - extremely poor; destitute
autodidact - one who is self-taught
beneficence - the practice of doing good
cupidity - greed; avarice
proclivity - a natural inclination
missive - a written message
waylay - to await and accost
execrable - detestable; abominable
aplomb - confidence; self-possession
osculation - the act of kissing
denigrate - to attack or defame the character or reputation of
probity - integrity; honesty
circumspect - prudent; cautious
comport - behave well or properly
quagmire - a difficult or precarious position
sciolism - superficial knowledge
forsake - to desert or abandon
salubrious - promoting health or well-being
demagogue - leader who seeks power by appealing to popular passions
avuncular - of or pertaining to an uncle
evanescent - fleeting; vanishing
afflatus - a divine imparting of knowledge
finitude - the state or quality of being finite
pecuniary - relating to money
insouciant - indifferent; careless; heedless
potboiler - a composition written quickly to make money
enjoin - to prohibit or restrain
abscond - to depart secretly
modicum - a moderate or token amount
perorate - to conclude or sum up a speech
apostasy - abandonment of one's party or faith
facetious - given to wit and good humor
pandiculation - yawning and stretching
dolorous - full of grief; sad; sorrowful
maelstrom - a powerful or destructive whirlpool
eldritch - unearthly, eerie; weird
temerity - unreasonable contempt of danger
caveat - a warning or caution; protest; admonition
minatory - threatening; menacing
myopia - intolerance; narrow-mindedness
paradox - a statement that contradicts itself
equanimity - evenness of mind; composure; calmness
olfactory - pertaining to the sense of smell
cacophony - harsh or discordant sounds
eschew - to shun; to avoid
extol - to praise; to glorify or honor
palpable - easily perceptible; obvious
uxorious - being a dependent husband
irascible - prone to anger; irritable
fetor - a strong, offensive smell
badinage - playful, frivolous talk; banter
sobriquet - an affectionate or humorous nickname
approbation - the act of approving
ebullient - full of spirited enthusiasm
auspicious - giving promise of success; prosperous
unconscionable - lacking conscience
monomania - obsessive zeal for a single subject
tchotchke - a trinket or knicknack
mores - customs; habits; beliefs
quietus - final discharge, as from debt or obligation
gravid - being with child; pregnant
penury - extreme poverty; destitution
gourmand - a person who eats to excess
eremite - a recluse, especially a religious recluse; hermit
mellifluous - flowing sweetly or smoothly
deracinate - to pull up by the roots
presentiment - a premonition or foreboding
melee - a confused conflict; turmoil
incongruous - lacking in harmony or compatibility
rebarbative - tending to repel or irritate
rivulet - a small stream or brook
urbane - polite; refined; elegant
piebald - mottled; mixed
visceral - obtained through instinct rather than intellect
militate - to have force or influence
repast - a meal; a refreshment
roister - to revel; to be bold or noisy
sentient - characterized by sensation and feeling
felicitous - happily applied or expressed; appropriate
providential - as if by divine intervention
fop - a man who is overly concerned with his appearance
delectation - great pleasure; delight
moiety - one of two equal parts; a half
virago - a noisy or scolding or domineering woman
aberrant - markedly different from an accepted norm; abnormal
disquisition - elaborate analytical essay on a subject
defalcate - to misuse money entrusted to one's care
dotage - feebleness of mind, particularly in old age
insensate - without feeling and consciousness
fecund - prolific; fruitful
taciturn - habitually silent; not apt to talk
oneiric - relating to or suggestive of dreams
malfeasance - wrongful conduct by a public official
talisman - an object with magical power; lucky charm
lapidate - to stone to death
esurient - hungry; greedy
benison - blessing; benediction
vituperation - abusive or venomous language
nescience - want of knowledge; ignorance
thaumaturgy - the performance of miracles or magic
supererogatory - going beyond what is expected
crepuscular - of or pertaining to twilight; dim
syncretic - uniting different belief systems
verboten - forbidden; prohibited
deprecate - to disapprove of strongly; belittle
entreat - ask for or request earnestly; to plead
bumptious - offensively self-assertive
galumph - to move in a clumsy manner
suffuse - to fill or cover, as with something fluid
avatar - an incarnation
ellipsis - omission of one or more words
nocuous - noxious; hurtful
philomath - a lover of learning; a scholar
cosmopolite - a citizen of the world
quidnunc - a gossip
ennui - boredom; tedium
flummox - to confuse; to bewilder
cerebration - the process of using your mind; thought
rictus - a gaping grimace
emblazon - display pompously; to decorate
lenity - the state or quality of being lenient
doula - a woman who assists women during labor
supine - lying face upward; indolent; listless
sedition - conduct inciting resistance to lawful authority
equipoise - equilibrium; counterbalance
doppelganger - a spiritual or ghostly double
enervate - to render impotent; to weaken
pukka - authentic; genuine
raffish - gaudily vulgar or cheap
stertorous - deep snoring; hoarsely breathing
paean - a joyous hymn of praise
subfusc - dark and dull; dingy
autochthonous - aboriginal; indigenous; native
ersatz - a substitute or imitation
jocund - cheerful; mirthful
atelier - a workshop; a studio
venerate - to regard with deep respect or reverence
dalliance - dawdling; procrastination
frowzy - habitually dirty and untidy
alpenglow - a reddish glow seen near sunset or sunrise
subterfuge - a deceptive device or stratagem
sub rosa - secretly; covertly; privately; confidentially
plaudit - a round of applause
biddable - obedient; docile
incommunicado - without the means or right to communicate
exegete - one who provides critical explanation or analysis
lucre - gain in money or goods; profit
favonian - pertaining to the west wind; soft; mild
complaisant - inclined or disposed to please; obliging
euphonious - pleasing or sweet in sound
apogee - the farthest or highest point
ergo - therefore; consequently
cajole - to persuade; to coax
chimerical - merely imaginary; fanciful; fantastic
plethora - excess; superabundance
acrid - sharp and harsh; bitterly pungent
gregarious - enjoying the company of others; sociable
edacious - given to eating; voracious
chichi - affectedly trendy
perquisite - a benefit in addition to salary or wages
furbelow - something showy or superfluous
lionize - to treat as an object of great importance
tutelary - guardian; protecting
synecdoche - a figure of speech
spurious - not genuine; false
numinous - spiritual; sublime
desuetude - the cessation of use; disuse
nabob - a wealthy person
kismet - destiny; fate
rejoinder - an answer to a reply
camarilla - a company of secret and irresponsible advisers
sidereal - relating to the stars or constellations
algorithm - a set of rules, specifying how to solve some problem
otiose - being at leisure; ineffective; useless
luminary - a person who has attained eminence
fealty - fidelity; constancy; faithfulness
conspectus - a general sketch or outline of a subject
excoriate - to express strong disapproval of
ululate - to howl; to wail
vituperate - to overwhelm with wordy abuse
hortatory - marked by strong urging; encouraging
ineffable - incapable of being expressed
patina - a superficial covering or exterior
epigone - an inferior imitator
ukase - an edict
sybarite - a person addicted to luxury and pleasures
coquetry - dalliance; trifling; flirtation
tenebrous - dark; gloomy
officious - meddlesome
pernicious - having the quality of killing or injuring
traduce - to vilify
apposite - of striking appropriateness and pertinence
Mephistophelian - devilish; crafty
gumshoe - a rubber overshoe; (slang) a detective
propitious - presenting favorable circumstances
susurrus - a soft whispering or rustling sound
slugabed - one who stays in bed until a late hour
banal - commonplace; trivial
quiddity - the essence or nature of a thing
wayworn - wearied by traveling
portend - to indicate in advance; to foreshow
celerity - rapidity of motion; quickness
tyro - a beginner in learning; a novice
putsch - illegal change in government
invidious - tending to provoke envy, resentment
ken - perception; understanding; knowledge
seriatim - in a series; one after another
legerdemain - sleight of hand
impugn - to call in question; to make insinuations against
condign - suitable to the fault or crime
myrmidon - a loyal follower
toper - a drunkard; a sot
Cockaigne - an imaginary land of luxury and ease
surcease - cessation; stop; end
animadversion - harsh criticism or disapproval
pule - to whimper; to whine
unwitting - not knowing; unintentional; unaware
varicolored - having a variety of colors
conflate - to bring together
matutinal - pertaining to or occurring in the morning
draconian - unusually harsh; severe
trencherman - a hearty eater
glabrous - without hairs or any unevenness; smooth
gaffe - a socially awkward or tactless act
bibelot - a trinket
manumit - to free from slavery or servitude
brio - quality of being active or spirited or alive
frisson - a moment of intense excitement
putative - commonly thought or deemed
bootless - unavailing; useless
penchant - inclindation; a strong liking
tocsin - an alarm bell for the purpose of alarm
stentorian - extremely loud
pellucid - transparent; easily understood
renege - to fail to fulfill a promise
ignoramus - an ignorant person.
aggress - to commit the first act of hostility or offense
deride - to laugh at with contempt
xenophobia - an unreasonable fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners
adamant - not capable of being swayed to pleas or persuasion
copacetic - completely satisfactory; fine
abominate - to hate in the highest degree
misprize - to undervalue; to despise
eructation - the act of belching; a belch
brummagem - cheap and showy; counterfeit
acuity - Sharpness of vision or perception
bowdlerize - to remove content considered offensive
confute - to prove to be false by argument
beholden - Obliged; bound in gratitude
puerile - childish; juvenile
inhere - to be inherent
fugacious - fleeting; lasting but a short time
sapid - full of flavor
vivify - to endue with life; to make alive
provenance - origin; source
lackadaisical - lacking spirit or liveliness
maunder - to talk incoherently
iota - a very small quantity or degree
curio - any unusual article -- perhaps worthy of collecting
umbrage - shade; shadow; obscurity
Zeitgeist - the spirit of the time
asperity - roughness of surface, shound or manner
rubicund - Inclining to redness; ruddy; red.
prolix - unnecessarily long and wordy
firmament - the sky; the heavens
ablution - ritual washing or cleansing
gnomic - Uttering a wise and pithy saying
impecunious - habitually without money; poor
detritus - any product of disintegration; debris
nonage - any period of immaturity
persiflage - frivolous or bantering talk
repine - to express or feel discontent
limn - to represent by painting or drawing
trice - a very short time; an instant
fructuous - fruitful; productive
lambent - softly bright or radiant; aglow
doff - to take off; to undress
stanch - to stop the flowing of, esp. blood
bruit - to report; to spread rumors
mephitic - foul-smelling; noxious
deign - to condescend
qua - in the capacity or character of; as
hauteur - haughty manner or spirit
deipnosophist - someone who is skilled in informal chitchat
conurbation - a continuous network of urban communities
excursus - a digression
quondam - having been formerly; former
unguent - a salve; an ointment
bamboozle - to deceive by trickery
abulia - absence of willpower
bombast - pompous or pretentious writing or speech
inimical - unfriendly; unfavorable; adverse
paroxysm - a sudden attack or recurrence of a disease
parlance - a manner of speaking or using words
velleity - a mere wish or inclination
eke - to supplement with great effort
puissant - powerful; strong; forcible; mighty
pugilist - a professional prize fighter; a boxer
mountebank - a quack; a charlatan
puckish - merry; mischievous; playful
collude - to conspire; to act in concert
postprandial - happening, or done, after dinner
bromide - a trite or obvious remark
raillery - good-humored teasing
nonplus - to puzzle; to perplex
histrionic - characteristic of actors and acting
dulcet - sweet to the ear; melodious
boulevardier - a man-about-town
hubris - overbearing pride or presumption
pulchritude - physical beauty; grace; loveliness
redivivus - living again; returned to life; revived
equine - of, pertaining to, or resembling, a horse
kobold - a haunting spirit in German mythology
apprise - to give notice to; to inform
anhedonia - an inability to experience pleasure
pleonasm - the use of more words than are necessary
flibbertigibbet - a silly, flighty person; a female fool
truculent - fierce; savage; ferocious
circumlocution - indirect or roundabout language
autocrat - a ruler with absolute authority
miasma - infectious particles or germs floating in the air
stolid - having little emotion or sensibility
sporadic - occurring in irregular or unpredictable instances
beatific - blissfully happy
efface - to cause to disappear by rubbing out
jollification - merrymaking; festivity; revelry
physiognomy - the face or facial features, general appearance
atrabilious - melancholy; gloomy; morbid
neoteric - modern; contemporary; new
gamine - a homeless girl who roams the streets