Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 13, 2013 is: behemoth \bih-HEE-muth\ noun : something of monstrous size, power, or appearance Examples: The town has voted against letting the retail behemoth build a store on the proposed site. "Interviews with an array of industry veterans … outline how Fairchild and the companies it spawned both developed the technologies and established the business and financial cultures that would eventually produce behemoths like Apple and Google." — From a television review by Mike Hale in The New York Times, February 5, 2013 Did you know? The original "behemoth" was biblical; it designated a mysterious river-dwelling beast in the Book of Job. Based on that description, scholars have concluded that the biblical behemoth was probably inspired by a hippopotamus, but details about the creature's exact nature were vague. The word first passed from the Hebrew into Late Latin, where, according to English poet and monk John Lydgate, writing in 1430, it "playne expresse[d] a beast rude full of cursednesse." In English, "behemoth" was eventually applied more generally to anything large and powerful.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 12, 2013 is: piggyback \PIG-ee-bak\ adverb 1 : up on the back and shoulders 2 : on or as if on the back of another; especially : on a railroad flatcar Examples: The youngest of the hikers had the advantage of riding piggyback through the muddy fields. "Unfortunately, his footing wasn't as steady as he'd hoped, and he fell from the log.… He wasn't able to get himself up and had to be carried piggyback from the scene." — From a television show review by on HuffingtonPost.com, January 28, 2013 Did you know? Have you ever wondered where the porcine part of "piggyback" comes from? Well, it's not from the pigs themselves. The adverb "piggyback" likely began as "a pick pack." Another early form of the word is "pickback," evidence of which can be found in the still-extant variant "pickaback." The adverb "piggyback" dates to the mid-16th century, and the noun—referring to an act of carrying piggyback—was in use by the end of that same century. The adjective "piggyback," as in "piggyback ride," didn't enter the language until the 18th century, and the now-common verb "piggyback" didn't piggyback on the others until the late 19th century.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 11, 2013 is: cajole \kuh-JOHL\ verb 1 a : to persuade with flattery or gentle urging : coax b : to obtain from someone by gentle persuasion 2 : to deceive with soothing words or false promises Examples: Brianna was able to cajole some money from her father before leaving for the movies. "Walking across Niagara Falls on a high wire is supposed to be hard; that's the point of doing it. But after nearly a year of cajoling, pressuring and outright begging for legal permission to cross the scenic gorge between Canada and the United States, Wallenda is coming face to face with the practical challenges of fulfilling his lifelong dream." — From an article by Charlie Gillis at Macleans.ca, May 25, 2012 Did you know? "Cajole" comes from a French verb, "cajoler," which has the same meaning as the English word. You might not think to associate "cajole" with "cage," but some etymologists theorize that "cajoler" is connected to not one but two words for "cage." One of them is the Anglo-French word "cage," from which we borrowed our own "cage." It comes from Latin "cavea," meaning "cage." The other is the Anglo-French word for "birdcage," which is "gaiole." It's an ancestor of our word "jail," and it derives from Late Latin "caveola," which means "little cage." Anglo-French speakers had a related verb, "gaioler," which meant "to chatter like a jay in a cage." It's possible that "cajoler" is a combination of "gaioler" and "cage."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 10, 2013 is: relict \REL-ikt\ noun 1 : a surviving species of an otherwise extinct group of organisms; also : a remnant of a formerly widespread species that persists in an isolated area 2 : something left unchanged Examples: This rare plant is a relict of a once abundant genus. "Northern flying squirrels still remain in the highest elevations of Virginia and are known as ice age relicts." From an article by Judy Molnar, Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia), June 6, 2010 Did you know? The oldest English sense of "relict" is extinct—or at least obsolete. In the 16th century, "relict" meant "an object esteemed and venerated because of association with a saint or martyr," but that meaning is now covered by "relic," a related word that can also refer to something left behind after decay or disappearance. "Relict" was also used to refer to a widow at one time, but now that sense is more or less limited to legal uses. It seems fitting that "relict" has outdated senses; after all, it derives ultimately from the Latin verb "relinquere," meaning "to leave behind."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 09, 2013 is: de rigueur \duh-ree-GUR\ adjective : prescribed or required by fashion, etiquette, or custom : proper Examples: Although the teen was wearing a dinner jacket and a tie, his jeans and sneakers were hardly de rigueur for the formal occasion. "'Wait, wait, wait! Put on my eyeglasses,' I insisted, substituting my mom's lightweight frames for the thick, big black ones that are de rigueur right now for many a bespectacled 20-something." — From an article by Anthonia Akitunde in The Huffington Post, January 30, 2013 Did you know? If you're invited to a ball or other social function and the invitation includes the French phrase "costume de rigueur," you are expected to adhere to a very strict dress code—typically, a white tie and tails if you're a man and a floor-length evening gown if you're a woman. In French, "de rigueur" means "out of strictness" or "according to strict etiquette"; one definition of our word "rigor," to which "rigueur" is related, is "the quality of being strict, unyielding, or inflexible." In English, we tend to use "de rigueur" to describe a fashion or custom that is so commonplace within a context that it seems a prescribed, mandatory part of it.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 08, 2013 is: indoctrinate \in-DAHK-truh-nayt\ verb 1 : to instruct especially in fundamentals or rudiments : teach 2 : to imbue with a usually partisan or sectarian opinion, point of view, or principle Examples: New hires were indoctrinated with the company's philosophy during a two-day orientation. "This is why sworn peace officers are indoctrinated not just in firearm use but in restraint." — From an editorial in the San Antonio Express-News, January 23, 2013 Did you know? "Indoctrinate" simply means "brainwash" to many people. But its meaning isn't always so negative. When this verb first appeared in English in the 17th century, it simply meant "to teach"—a meaning that followed logically from its Latin root. The "doc" in the middle of "indoctrinate" derives from the Latin verb "docēre," which also means "to teach." Other offspring of "docēre" include "docent" (referring to a college professor or a museum guide), "docile," "doctor," "doctrine," and "document." It was not until the 19th century that "indoctrinate" began to see regular use in the sense of causing someone to absorb and take on certain opinions or principles.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 07, 2013 is: gnomic \NOH-mik\ adjective 1 : characterized by aphorism 2 : given to the composition of aphoristic writing Examples: Some critics have praised the young artist's gnomic utterances, while others argue that her sayings are simply pretentious rubbish. "The film is grand but complex, canny and sincere.… If Spielberg were more intellectual or more gnomic in discussing his films, he might be regarded not as a mass-market wizard but as a cult director." — From a film review by Francine Stock in Prospect, January 24, 2013 Did you know? A gnome is an aphorism—that is, an observation or sentiment reduced to the form of a saying. Gnomes are sometimes couched in metaphorical or figurative language, they are often quite clever, and they are always concise. We borrowed the word "gnome" in the 16th century from the Greeks, who based their "gnōmē" on the verb "gignōskein," meaning "to know." (That other "gnome"—the dwarf of folklore—comes from New Latin and is unrelated to today's word.) We began using "gnomic," the adjective form of "gnome," in the early 19th century. It describes a style of writing (or sometimes speech) characterized by pithy phrases, which are often terse to the point of mysteriousness.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 06, 2013 is: meritorious \mair-uh-TOR-ee-us\ adjective : worthy of reward, gratitude, honor, or esteem Examples: Mrs. Goodman received the town's Meritorious Service Award for her untiring efforts to keep the library open. "In February 2011, President Barack Obama bestowed upon [Stan] Musial the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States, which recognizes individuals who have made 'an especially meritorious contribution to the security of national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.'" — From an article by John Jeansonne in Newsday (New York), January 20, 2013 Did you know? People who demonstrate meritorious behavior certainly "earn" our respect, and you can use that fact to remember that "meritorious" ultimately traces to the Latin verb "merēre," which means "to earn." Nowadays, the rewards earned for meritorious acts are likely to be of an immaterial nature: gratitude, admiration, praise, etc. But that wasn't always so. The history of "meritorious" recalls a reward more concrete in nature: money. The Latin word "meritorius," an ancestor of the English "meritorious," literally means "bringing in money."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 05, 2013 is: allusion \uh-LOO-zhun\ noun 1 : an implied or indirect reference especially in literature; also : the use of such references 2 : the act of making an indirect reference to something : the act of alluding to something Examples: The book's frequent literary allusions and high-flown turns of phrase made its narrative difficult to follow. "Speaking with characteristic bluntness after his victory was announced, Mr. Zeman said he wanted to be the president of all the Czechs, but 'not of Godfather structures here,' an allusion to the country's problems with corruption." — From an article by Dan Bilefsky in The New York Times, January 26, 2013 Did you know? "Allusion" was borrowed into English in the middle of the 16th century. It derives from the Latin verb "alludere," meaning "to refer to, to play with, or to jest," as does its cousin "allude," meaning "to make indirect reference" or "to refer." "Alludere," in turn, derives from a combination of the prefix "ad-" and "ludere" ("to play"). "Ludere" is a Latin word that English speakers have enjoyed playing with over the years; we've used it to create "collude," "delude," "elude," and "prelude," just to name a few.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 04, 2013 is: paltry \PAWL-tree\ adjective 1 : inferior, trashy 2 : mean, despicable 3 : trivial 4 : meager, measly Examples: Anna told us she was tired of engaging in paltry work and longed to do something meaningful with her life. "Monday, I tried to cheer up snow fans who have been frowning at Seattle's paltry 0.6" of snowfall this winter by stating that February has had its share of snowfall over the years." — From a post by meteorologist Scott Sistek on KOMONews.com's weather blog, January 29, 2013 Did you know? Before "paltry" was an adjective, it was a noun meaning "trash." That now obsolete noun in turn came from "palt" or "pelt," dialect terms meaning "a piece of coarse cloth," or broadly, "trash." The adjective "paltry" first meant "trashy," but it currently has a number of senses, all generally meaning "no good." A "paltry house" might be run-down and unfit for occupancy; a "paltry trick" is a trick that is low-down and dirty; a "paltry excuse" is a trivial one; and a "paltry sum" is small and insufficient.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 03, 2013 is: abandon \uh-BAN-dun\ noun : a thorough yielding to natural impulses; especially : enthusiasm, exuberance Examples: We chased one another through the snow, hurling snowballs with complete abandon. "He slid head first, dived for balls, threw runners out, stole home against the Phillies, played with the sort of reckless abandon that endeared him to fans in Washington." — From an article by Ed Graney in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, December 30, 2012 Did you know? The sense of "abandon" defined above is a relative newcomer to the English language, dating from the early 1800s, but the noun itself is about 200 years older, having been first used in the 1600s in the sense of "the act of abandoning." The earlier sense was influenced by the verb "abandon," which was borrowed by Middle English in the 1300s from Anglo-French "abandoner." The Anglo-French term in turn came from the phrase "(mettre) a bandun," meaning "to hand over" or "put in someone's control." The newer sense has been more directly influenced by French "abandon," which means not only "abandonment or surrender," but also "freedom from constraint."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 02, 2013 is: thimblerig \THIM-bul-rig\ verb 1 : to cheat by trickery 2 : to swindle by a trick in which a small ball or pea is quickly shifted from under one to another of three small cups to fool the spectator guessing its location Examples: The appraiser looked closely at the painting and then reluctantly told us that we had been thimblerigged into buying a worthless copy. "Thimblerigging the market was such an accepted practice some traders were even taunted for not stealing enough." — From Leah McGrath Goodman's 2011 book The Asylum: The Renegades Who Hijacked the World's Oil Market Did you know? The game of thimblerig seems innocent enough. The thimblerigger places a little ball, pea, or other small object under one of three thimbles or cups. He or she deftly scoots the cups around on a table, then asks the player to bet on which one hides the object. But thimbleriggers are masters of sleight of hand and can move and manipulate the object unfairly—so the guileless player doesn't stand a chance of winning. (The poor bettor is probably unaware that "rig" has meant "to manipulate or control usually by deceptive or dishonest means" since the 1800s.) When the same sham is played with nutshells, it's called a "shell game," and there's a related game played with cards known as "three-card monte."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 01, 2013 is: clepsydra \KLEP-suh-druh\ noun : an instrument designed to measure time by the fall or flow of a quantity of water : water clock Examples: The ancient Greeks were known to time political speeches with a clepsydra; when the water was gone, the oration was over. "One of the earliest mechanisms to measure time ... was a clepsydra or water clock ... in which a vessel either filled or emptied at some slow, regular rate...." — From an article by David W. Ball in Spectroscopy, December 2006 Did you know? In ancient times the sun was used to measure time during the day, but sundials weren't much help after dark, so peoples around the world invented clocks that used dripping water to mark the hours. In one kind of water clock, possibly invented by the Chaldeans, a vessel was filled with water that was allowed to escape through a hole. The vessel's inside was marked with graduated lines, and the time was read by measuring the level of the remaining water. The ancient Greeks called their water clocks "klepsydra" ("water thief"), which comes from "kleptein" ("to steal") and "hydōr" ("water"). English speakers stole "clepsydra" from the Greeks in the 16th century. Actual water clocks have become increasingly rare and we now use the word primarily in historical references.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 28, 2013 is: tchotchke \CHAHCH-kuh\ noun : knickknack, trinket Examples: Upon returning home from his trip to Maine, Jerry ceremoniously placed his new ceramic lobster next to the other tchotchkes on his mantelpiece. "Everywhere there is something to delight the eye—not tchotchkes, but art. Eccentric art, angular art, modern art, all a signifier of personal style." — From an article in Palm Beach Post, January 12, 2013 Did you know? Just as trinkets can dress up your shelves or coffee table, many words for "miscellaneous objects" or "nondescript junk" decorate our language. "Knickknack," "doodad," "gewgaw," and "whatnot" are some of the more common ones. While many such words are of unknown origin, we know that "tchotchke" comes from the Yiddish "tshatshke" of the same meaning, and ultimately from a now-obsolete Polish word, "czaczko." "Tchotchke" is a pretty popular word these days, but it wasn't commonly used in English until the 1970s.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 27, 2013 is: expunge \ix-SPUNJ\ verb 1 : to strike out, obliterate, or mark for deletion 2 : to efface completely : destroy 3 : to eliminate (as a memory) from one's consciousness Examples: Time and the forces of nature have expunged any evidence that a thriving community once existed in that location. "Eligible veterans can avoid jail time or get their charges expunged if they complete an intensive treatment and rehabilitation program." — From an article by Tracie Mauriello and Anya Sostek in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 22, 2012 Did you know? In medieval and Renaissance manuscripts, a series of dots was used to mark mistakes or to label material that should be deleted from a text, and those deletion dots can help you remember the history of "expunge." They were known as "puncta delentia." The "puncta" part of the name derives from the Latin verb "pungere," which can be translated as "to prick or sting" (and you can imagine that a scribe may have felt stung when his mistakes were so punctuated in a manuscript). "Pungere" is also an ancestor of "expunge," as well as a parent of other dotted, pointed, or stinging terms such as "punctuate," "compunction," "poignant," "puncture," and "pungent."