M-W Word of the Day @[email protected]

Class: noun | Syllables: MEER-ee-ud

Definition: The noun myriad is usually followed by of and means “a great number,” as in “a myriad of possibilities.” It is also common as an adjective meaning “very many” or “both numerous and diverse,” as in “myriad topics were discussed at the convention.”

Example(s):
// The middle school class generated a myriad of ideas for ways they could volunteer in the community.

Class: noun | Syllables: SUF-rij

Definition: Suffrage means “the right to vote in an election.”

Example(s):
// The Nineteenth Amendment, which granted suffrage to women, was certified on August 26, 1920, making it an official part of the Constitution of the United States.

Class: adjective | Syllables: kwy-ESS-unt

Definition: Quiescent is a formal word that describes things that are quiet, inactive, or in a state of peaceful rest. In medical contexts it describes a condition that is not currently developing or causing symptoms, as in "a quiescent disease/virus."

Example(s):
// Volcanoes often exist for centuries in a quiescent state before their sudden, violent eruptions.

Class: adjective | Syllables: im-PEER-uh-kul

Definition: When we describe something, such as data, as empirical, we mean that it originated in, or was based on, observation or experience. Empirical can also be used to describe something that is capable of being verified or disproved by observation or experiment, as in “empirical laws.”

Example(s):
// The team of conservation biologists gathered reams of empirical data—from species inventories to soil analyses—to help them get a better understanding of the forest’s ecology.

Class: adjective | Syllables: LAK-luss-ter

Definition: Lackluster describes something lacking in sheen, brilliance, or vitality—in other words, something dull or mediocre.

Example(s):
// After a summer of lackluster sales, business is booming at the coffee shop now that students are returning.

Class: adjective | Syllables: LAK-luss-ter

Definition: Lackluster describes something lacking in sheen, brilliance, or vitality—in other words, something dull or mediocre.

Example(s):
// After a summer of lackluster sales, business is booming at the coffee shop now that students are returning.

Class: noun | Syllables: free-SOHN (the second vowel is pronounced nasally)

Definition: Frisson refers to a brief moment of emotional excitement.

Example(s):
// He felt a frisson of delight as he stepped tentatively through the door to the walled garden.

Class: adjective | Syllables: BAH-mee

Definition: Balmy is an adjective that is often used to describe weather that is warm, calm, and pleasant. It can also be used to describe someone or something (such as an idea) that is foolish or irrational.

Example(s):
// After a long, eight-hour drive, we were rewarded with a mild, balmy evening at our vacation spot on the shores of Lake Erie.
// Despite being a devout Green Bay fan, she finds the idea of attending games in head-to-toe yellow and green body paint to be a bit balmy.

Class: verb | Syllables: SLAYK

Definition: Slake is a verb meaning "to satisfy or quench." It can also mean "to hydrate."

Example(s):
// The quest to slake his wanderlust was never-ending.
// They slaked their thirst with cold lemonade.

Class: noun | Syllables: INK-ling

Definition: Inkling refers to a slight, uncertain idea about something, or to a slight amount of knowledge about something.

Example(s):
// As the professor explained the complex math formula in class, I didn’t have an inkling of what it all meant.

Class: adjective | Syllables: VAH-luh-tul

Definition: Volatile has several closely related meanings, including “subject to rapid or unexpected change,” “having or showing extreme or sudden changes of emotion,” and “likely to become dangerous or out of control.”

Example(s):
// Our financial advisor cautioned us to be conservative with our investments while the stock market was still volatile.
// One classic trope of war movies is the drill sergeant with a volatile temper, always ready to yell at recruits for the slightest infraction of the rules.
// The protests are increasing, creating a volatile situation in the capital.

Class: verb | Syllables: CHAY-sun

Definition: To chasten someone is to cause them to feel sad or embarrassed about something that has happened, or in other words, to make them feel more humble or restrained.

Example(s):
// He was arrogant as a young man, but he has been chastened by life's hardships and is now more cognizant of his own failings and weaknesses.

Class: noun | Syllables: NEK-sus

Definition: A nexus is a relationship or connection between people or things.

Example(s):
// Her final research paper for her pedagogy class highlighted the nexus between teachers and students.

Class: adverb or adjective | Syllables: uh-SUN-der

Definition: Asunder is most often used as an adverb—often with a verb such as tear or pull—to mean "apart" or "into pieces." It is more rarely used as an adjective meaning "apart from each other," as in "he stood with his legs wide asunder."

Example(s):
// The park was torn asunder by yesterday's microburst, and many of its trails have been blocked by fallen trees.

Class: noun | Syllables: TRAV-uh-stee

Definition: Travesty refers to something that is shocking, upsetting, or ridiculous because it is not what it is supposed to be, but is instead a distorted or badly inferior imitation of it. The word is often used in the phrase “a travesty of.” Travesty is not a synonym of tragedy, which refers instead to a disastrous event.

Example(s):
// That the timber company only had to pay a minimal fine after being found guilty of illegal logging was considered by many to be a travesty of justice.

Class: adjective | Syllables: FUN-juh-bul

Definition: Fungible describes things, such as currency, goods, and commodities, that can be exchanged for something else of the same kind or value. In broader usage, fungible can also mean “interchangeable,” as well as “readily changeable to adapt to new situations.”

Example(s):
// A dollar bill is considered fungible because it can easily and acceptably be traded for ten dimes, four quarters, twenty nickels, or one hundred pennies.
// Since fruits and vegetables are regarded as fungible in this diet, you are allowed a total of five servings of either or both.
// Some baseball team managers set their batting orders in stone, while others prefer to keep their lineups fungible, to respond to the strengths or weaknesses of different opposing pitchers.

Class: verb | Syllables: BOY-kaht

Definition: To boycott something is to refuse to buy, use, or participate in that thing as a form of protest. To boycott an entity, such as a company or country, is to stop using the goods or services of that entity until changes are made.

Example(s):
// People are boycotting the company for its refusal to reduce its yearly greenhouse gas emissions.

Class: noun | Syllables: en-KOH-mee-um

Definition: Encomium refers to an expression of glowing and warmly enthusiastic praise.

Example(s):
// Upon achieving EGOT status, the actor was deservedly showered with encomiums from across the entertainment world.

Class: adjective | Syllables: RET-uh-sunt

Definition: Reticent is often used as a synonym of reserved to describe someone who does not readily or openly talk to others. Despite objections from some, reticent is also often used as a synonym of reluctant.

Example(s):
// She is reticent about discussing her personal business with anyone.
// Despite claims of openness, the organization has always been reticent to disclose even the most basic information about its internal operations.

Class: verb | Syllables: PREEN

Definition: To preen is to make ones's appearance neat and tidy or to behave or speak with obvious pride or self-satisfaction. In ornithology, preen means "to groom with the bill."

Example(s):
// She stood preening herself in front of the mirror.
// The award-winners were preening backstage.