Word of the Day Archive for 2011

treacly - overly sweet
roseate - overly optimistic; promising good fortune
plaint - an expression of sorrow; lamentation
rodomontade - vain boasting; rant
bedaub - to besmear or soil with anything thick and dirty
recidivism - habitual relapse into crime
nosegay - a bunch of odorous and showy flowers
solace - comfort in time of grief
confluence - a place where things merge or flow together
perdurable - very durable; lasting
wizened - dried; shriveled; withered
canorous - richly melodious; musical
cygnet - a young swan
ambit - circuit or compass; the boundaries of something
paladin - someone who fights for a cause
affray - a noisy quarrel or disturbance
pelf - money; riches; lucre; gain
vatic - characteristic of a prophet or prophecy
immolate - to sacrifice; to kill or destroy esp. by burning
disconcert - to disturb the composure of
stasis - a state of inactivity or equilibrium (plural stases)
aerie - any habitation at a high altitude
sycophant - a person who tries to flatter someone to gain an advantage
abattoir - a slaughterhouse
undulant - resembling waves in form, motion or outline
interlocutor - someone who takes part in a conversation
cavalcade - a formal procession of riders on horseback
defenestrate - to throw out of the window
saturnine - gloomy or sullen in disposition
declaim - to speak in an impassioned manner
obsequies - funeral rites
rapprochement - the establishment or state of cordial relations
reticent - inclined to keep silent; reserved
unfledged - not yet having developed feathers
aquiline - curved like an eagle's beak; hooked
scapegrace - one who is wild and reckless; a rascal
avoirdupois - weight; heaviness
senescent - growing old; aging
flaneur - one who strolls about aimlessly
aright - rightly; correctly; in a right way, form or manner
claque - a collection of people hired to applaud at a performance
clemency - disposition to forgive and spare; mercy
irrupt - to enter univited; to intrude
mien - a person's manner or bearing, esp. as expressive of mood
specious - superficially fair, just, or correct, but not so in reality
comely - good-looking; handsome
homily - a discourse or sermon on a religious theme
florid - bright in color; flushed with red
yeasty - frothy; foamy; spumy, like yeast
fatuous - stupid; foolish; unintelligent
surly - sullenly ill-humored, gruff; gloomy
lacuna - a blank space; a gap; a missing part
malleable - capable of being shaped by beating with a hammer; pliable
crux - the most important point of feature
limpid - characterized by clearness or transparency
flagitious - disgracefully or shamefully criminal; grossly wicked
ratiocination - the process of logical reasoning
juggernaut - a massive, powerful, destructive force or institution
palimpsest - an object whose older layers or aspects are visible
orotund - characterized by fullness, clarity and strength
dudgeon - a feeling of intense indignation
hardscrabble - barely satisfying a lower standard
exemplar - a model, original, or pattern, to be copied or imitated
panache - flamboyant confidence in manner or style
cadre - members of a group around which an organization is formed
Elysium - paradise; any place or state of complete happiness
aubade - a poem or song appropriate to the dawn or early morning
pusillanimous - lacking in courage and resolution
opprobrium - disgrace; infamy; reproach mingled with contempt
juju - an object superstitiously believed to embody magical powers
contumely - rudeness arising from haughtiness and contempt
precocious - early development or maturity, especially in mental aptitude
perfervid - characterized by intense emotion; ardent
confabulation - an informal conversation
contumacious - obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
scuttlebutt - rumor, gossip
compunction - a pricking of the conscience
plangent - bleating; dashing, as a wave; expressing sadness
supercilious - hautily contemptuous in behavior or facial expression
mazy - resembling a labyrinth or maze
venal - capable of being bought or obtained for money
woebegone - worn and broken down by hard use
turpitude - inherent baseness; depravity
gravitas - formality in bearing and appearance
redoubt - a temporary or supplementary fortification
nonagenarian - someone whose age is in the nineties
gaucherie - a socially awkward or tactless act
perfidy - the act of violating faith or allegiance; treachery
cum - with, together with, along with
tetchy - peevish; testy; irritable
funereal - of or pertaining to a funeral or burial
bibulous - given to or marked by the consumption of alcohol
agitprop - political propaganda communicated via art
fettle - a state of fitness and good health
vainglory - inordinate pride in one's achievements
transmogrify - to change completely the nature or appearance of
habitue - one who habitually frequents a place
nadir - the lowest point; the time of greatest depression
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braggadocio - a braggart; a boaster; a swaggerer
stripling - an adolescent youth; a lad
arrant - thorough or downright; complete; utter
copse - a dense growth of bushes or small trees
foundling - a deserted or abandoned infant
connubial - of or relating to marriage; nuptial
dystopia - a state in which the conditions of life are extremely bad
relict - a surviving remnant; a widow
salad days - a period when one is young and inexperienced
balustrade - a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony
malinger - to feign illness or inability as to avoid duty or work
adage - an old saying, which has obtained credit by long use
dour - hard; stern; sullen
sere - withered; dry
augury - the art or practice of foretelling events
bravura - brilliant and showy display
gewgaw - a showy trifle; a toy; a trinket
bandog - a large and fierce dog
apothegm - a short pithy instructive saying
bellicose - inclined to war or contention; warlike
bedizen - to dress or adorn tawdrily
megrim - a migraine; a fancy; a whim
dubiety - the condition or quality of being doubtful
billingsgate - coarsely abusive, foul, or profane language
busker - a person who entertains for money in public places
salutary - beneficial; advantageous
commodious - conveniently spacious; roomy and comfortable
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taw - a large marble used for shooting in the game of marbles
propitiate - to appease to render favorable; to conciliate
dishabille - the state of being only scantily clothed
arbiter - a person appointed or chosen to decide or judge a dispute
eleemosynary - relating to charity; chartiable
cognoscente - a person with expert knowledge of a subject
genuflect - to bend the knee, as in worship
hapless - unfortunate; unlucky; unhappy
cormorant - a glutton
popinjay - a vain and talkative person
interlard - to insert between; to mix or mingle
heliolatry - worship of the sun
wanderlust - a strong desire to travel or wander
grok - to understand something intuitively
emolument - compensation
Whig - a friend and supporter of the American Revolution
contemn - to view or treat with contempt or disdain
pronunciamento - a proclamation or manifesto
candor - open and honest in expression
rancor - a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
acclimate - to get used to a a new climate
hobbledehoy - an awkward bad-mannered adolescent boy
tintinnabulation - a tinkling sound, as of a bell
bloviate - to speak or write at length in a verbose manner
bombinate - to hum; to boom; to buzz
tryst - an appointment (especially between lovers) to meet
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tautological - unnescessary repetition of the same sense in different words
inanition - weakness characterized by a lack of vitality or energy
louche - of questionable taste or morality
flippant - not showing a respectful or serious attitude
hullabaloo - a confused noise; uproar; tumult
tome - a large, usually scholarly, book
tarradiddle - a petty lie; fib
vamoose - to leave suddenly; decamp
afterclap - an unexpected event or repercussion
narcolepsy - a sleep disorder
bon ton - a fashionable or sophisticated manner or style
lissom - easily bent; flexible; supple
chthonic - dwelling beneath the surface of the earth
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deleterious - harmful; noxious; pernicious
extant - still existing; not destroyed, lost, or extinct
xanthous - yellowish; yellow
gargantuan - enormous; huge; gigantic; prodigious
restive - stubborn; unwilling to go on
tenet - any opinion, principle or belief held to be true
improvident - lacking foresight or forethought
fallible - liable to fail or make a mistake
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languid - drooping or flagging from exhaustion
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verdure - green; greenness
spry - nimble; active; vigorous
embonpoint - plumpness of person
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aestival - of or belonging to the summer
sui generis - unique; constituting a class of its own
prelapsarian - characteristic of the time or state before the Fall of Man
exiguous - extremely scanty
wastrel - a person who wastes resources, especially money
booboisie - a class of people regarded as stupid, foolish or boobs
venial - capable of being forgiven
parsimonious - sparing in expenditure of money
sublunary - situated beneath the moon
mordant - biting; caustic; sarcastic
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numismatics - the study and collection of money, esp. coins
listless - having no desire or inclination
riparian - of or pertaining to the bank of a river
arbitrage - a traffic in stocks which bear differing values at the same time in different markets
kinetic - of, or having to do with motion
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wanton - not moral; lascivious; lewd
cakewalk - something easily accomplished
kibitz - to chat; speak informally
longueur - a period of dullness or boredom
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interstice - an interval of time
equable - equal and uniform; unvarying
robustious - boisterous; vigorous
proponent - one who advocates a theory, proposal, or project
encumbrance - a burden which impedes action
gallimaufry - a absurd medley; a hodgepodge
mimetic - exhibiting mimicry
hagiography - a biography that idealizes or idolizes a person
stygian - hellish; infernal
cloudburst - a heavy, violent rainstorm
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footless - without a foot or feet
dissever - to part or separate; to sever; to disperse
daunt - to discourage; to intimidate
veracity - habitual truthfulness; truth
froward - difficult to manage; contrary
beseech - to ask for or request earnestly
inamorata - a woman with whom you are in love
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galvanic - of, pertaining to, or producing electric current by chemical action
staid - sober; steady; sedate
luculent - easily understood; transparently clear; lucid
equivocate - to be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
osteopath - a therapist who manipulates the skeleton and muscles
coruscate - to give off or reflect light in beams or flashes
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magnanimous - noble and generous in spirit
nitid - bright; lustrous; shining
obeisance - an expression of obedience, deference or respect
nugatory - trifling; vain; futile; insignificant
malversation - misconduct, extortion or corruption in public office
suspire - to heave or utter a sigh
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sachet - a small soft bag containing perfumed powder
eidetic - of visual imagery of almost photographic accuracy
quash - to abate, annul, overthrow, or make void
regnant - ruling; reigning
imago - an idealized image of someone formed in childhood
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overweening - overbearing; conceit; arrogant; presumptuous
agrestic - pertaining to fields or the country; rustic; rural
iatrogenic - a medical disorder caused by the actions of a physician
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oscitant - yawning; gaping; sleepy
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yaw - to have motion around the vertical axis
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gerent - a manager or ruler
zaftig - having a full-bodied figure
lilliputian - very small; tiny; trivial
replevy - to take back goods or chattels wrongfuly taken or detained
acedia - laziness or apathy in religious matters
Promethean - boldly original or defiantly creative
peculate - to steal money entrusted to one's care; embezzle
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attar - a fragrant essential oil obtained from the petals of roses
noctivagant - relating to going about in the night
engram - a postulated biochemical change that represents a memory
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plucky - having or displaying pluck or courage
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boondocks - a remote and undeveloped or rural area
threnody - a song or hymn of lamentation
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mugwump - a person who is neutral or uncommitted, especially in politics
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objurgate - to express strong disapproval of
virtu - love of or taste for fine objects of art
idyll - a short poem descriptive of rural or pastoral life
soi-disant - self-styled; self-named
brackish - slightly salty
bathos - triteness or triviality of style
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dithyrambic - wildly enthusiastic in speech or writing
muliebrity - the state of being a woman
aeromancy - divination from the state of the air
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oppugn - to challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
decollete - of a garment, having a low-cut neckline
woolgathering - indulgence in idle imagination or daydreaming
flaxen - of pale yellowish to yellowish brown color
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fantod - a state of tension or irritability
brumal - of or pertaining to winter
moue - a pouting expression
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horripilate - to have one's hair stand on end; goosebumps
hegira - the journey from a hostile environment
orthoepy - the study of correct pronunciation of words
moratory - of or relating to authorizing delay of payment
anomie - a sense of isolation and anxiety
katzenjammer - a severe headache and illness resulting from a hangover
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moxie - energy; pep; vigor
gallivant - to wander aimlessly in search of pleasure
cachinnate - to laugh loudly
casuistry - specious argument
cacoethes - an insatiable desire; mania
vulpine - crafty; artful; cunning
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soupcon - a slight trace or appreciable amount
dandle - to move (a baby or child) up and down on one's knee or in one's arms
creolize - to cause a pidginized language to become a creole in a speech community
abaft - toward the rear of; aft of
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splenetic - irratable; spiteful; peevish; fretful
lickerish - eager; craving; urged by desire; eager to taste or enjoy
foist - to force onto another
fanfaronade - a swaggering; vain boasting; ostentation
amative - inclined toward or displaying love; full of love
volte-face - an about-face
sacrilege - blasphemous behavior
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jaded - worn out; tired, exhausted
chicanery - the use of tricks to deceive someone
platitude - the quality or state of being flat, thin, or insipid; triteness
akimbo - with the hand on the hip and elbow turned outward
chatoyant - having a changeable, varying luster, or color
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opportune - suitable for a given purpose or occasion
circumambient - surrounding; inclosing or being on all sides
immure - to enclose whithin walls
panjandrum - an important or pretentious person
subtilize - to make (senses) more keen or discerning
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fulgurate - to flash as lightning
balneal - of or pertaining to a bath
torrefy - to subject to fire or scorching heat
stertor - the act of snoring
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lucubration - the act of lucubrating, or studying by candlelight
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serry - to crowd; to press together
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elide - to omit (a vowel or a syllable) when speaking
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orison - a prayer; a supplication
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incunabulum - a work of art or of industry, of an early period
lagniappe - an extra or unexpected gift or benefit
sockdolager - something unusually large or heavy
detente - a easing of tension, especially between nations
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arcanum - a secret; a mystery
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osmose - to undergo osmosis
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wiredrawn - finely spun; extremely minute; sublte
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bobbery - a noisy disturbance or a brawl
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