chopine
Definition: (noun) A woman's shoe with a very high thick sole. Synonyms: platform. Usage: In centuries past, some women wore chopines so large that they …
Category: Today’s Word
Today’s Word
pareidolia
noun: The tendency to see a specific pattern or meaningful images in random stimulus.
subroutine
Definition: (noun) A set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program. Synonyms: procedure, function. Usage: Apparently, the program was crashing because there were careless …
bondieuserie
noun: A piece of banal religious art, devotional object, ornament, etc.
hail-fellow
Definition: (adjective) Heartily friendly and congenial. Synonyms: comradely. Usage: Everyone in the tour group was instantly enamored by the guide and his hail-fellow demeanor. Discuss
cordillera
noun: A chain of mountains or mountain ranges.
wonted
Definition: (adjective) Commonly used or practiced; usual. Synonyms: habitual, accustomed, customary. Usage: Professor Erlin lost his wonted calm: he beat the table with his fist, …
shirty
Definition: (adjective) <i>(British informal)</i> Ill-tempered or annoyed. Synonyms: snorty. Usage: He was a bit shirty with her when she arrived late. Discuss
transfigure
Definition: (verb) Change completely the nature or appearance of. Synonyms: metamorphose, transmogrify. Usage: To you, my friend, she would have appeared a hideous and ugly …
pedantic
adjective: Characterized by an excessive, narrow adherence to rules without practical judgment.
eye-popping
Definition: (adjective) Amazingly impressive; suggestive of the flashing of lightning. Synonyms: dazzling, fulgurant. Usage: The highlight of our New Year's celebration was easily the fireworks …
puerperal
adjective: Relating to childbirth or following childbirth.
delegacy
Definition: (noun) A group of representatives or delegates. Synonyms: deputation, mission, commission. Usage: The Finnish delegacy arrived on Estonian soil early this morning and was …
teknonymy
noun: The custom of naming a parent after their child.
puckish
Definition: (adjective) Naughtily or annoyingly playful. Synonyms: impish, mischievous, pixilated, prankish, arch, wicked. Usage: My puckish new roommate apparently thought it would be funny to …
filiation
noun: 1. The fact of being descended or derived from someone or something. 2. The act of determining such relationship. 3. Forming of a new …
hullabaloo
Definition: (noun) Disturbance usually in protest. Synonyms: turmoil, upheaval, agitation, excitement. Usage: In the morning Joan was roused by a great row and hullabaloo. Discuss
hypocoristic
adjective: Relating to pet names. noun: A pet name.
obstinacy
Definition: (noun) The trait of being difficult to handle or overcome. Synonyms: mulishness, stubbornness. Usage: If any tribe shall refuse to recognize the authority of …
disinterest
Definition: (noun) Freedom from selfish bias or self-interest; impartiality. Synonyms: neutrality. Usage: The old judge, who usually conducted herself with disinterest, seemed to favor the …
reimburse
Definition: (verb) To pay back or compensate (another party) for money spent or losses incurred. Synonyms: refund, repay, remunerate. Usage: As long as my siblings …
ultima Thule
noun: 1. The northernmost part of the world believed habitable by the ancients. 2. A distant or remote goal or place. 3. The farthest point.
paunchy
Definition: (adjective) Having a large belly. Synonyms: abdominous, potbellied. Usage: He was … a plump, paunchy, sturdy-looking fellow. Discuss
Siberia
noun: An undesirable or isolated location assigned to those who have fallen out of favor or being disciplined.
eschew
Definition: (verb) Avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of. Synonyms: shun. Usage: Unlike many Hollywood starlets, she eschews publicity and does her best …
Dunkirk
noun: 1. A desperate evacuation or retreat. 2. A crisis requiring drastic measures to avoid total disaster.
overwrought
Definition: (adjective) Deeply agitated especially from emotion. Synonyms: distraught. Usage: Now that the horror of absolute solitude was upon them, her overwrought nerves gave way, …
Manchurian candidate
noun: A person, especially a politician, acting as a puppet of a foreign power.
heliotherapy
Definition: (noun) Therapeutic exposure to sunlight. Synonyms: insolation. Usage: Heliotherapy has long been used as a treatment for various skin conditions. Discuss
solecism
noun: 1. A grammatical mistake or a nonstandard usage. 2. A breach of etiquette. 3. An error, inconsistency, or impropriety.
verbiage
Definition: (noun) The excessive and often meaningless use of words; verbosity. Synonyms: repetition, tautology, redundancy, circumlocution, prolixity, periphrasis, pleonasm. Usage: He is generally a smooth …
egotism
Definition: (noun) An inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others. Synonyms: self-importance. Usage: I confess, too, that I was irritated by the egotism …
perspicacity
Definition: (noun) The capacity to assess situations or circumstances shrewdly and to draw sound conclusions. Synonyms: judgment. Usage: It was a marvelous effort of perspicacity …
lunule
noun: 1. The crescent-shaped whitish area at the base of the fingernail. 2. Any crescent-shaped mark, object, etc.
treacly
Definition: (adjective) Overly sweet. Synonyms: cloying, saccharine, syrupy. Usage: I enjoyed it as a child, but as an adult I found the candy treacly to …
blue moon
noun: A long time.
clear-eyed
Definition: (adjective) Mentally acute or penetratingly discerning. Synonyms: perspicacious. Usage: John's clear-eyed assessment of the company's problems saved it from bankruptcy. Discuss
meddlesome
Definition: (adjective) Intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner. Synonyms: busybodied, interfering, officious. Usage: Though she means well, my meddlesome mother invariably drives away all …
meniscus
noun: 1. The curved surface of a column of liquid. 2. Something having a crescent-shape. 3. A lens that is concave on one side and …
colewort
Definition: (noun) A hardy cabbage with coarse curly leaves that do not form a head. Synonyms: borecole, kale. Usage: Although he thought his aunt's boiled …