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

Class: verb | Syllables: SER-kum-skrybe

Definition: Circumscribe means “to limit the size or amount of something,” or, in other words, “to constrict the range or activity of.”

Example(s):
// His role as president was carefully circumscribed by the board.

Class: adjective | Syllables: ih-KWIV-uh-kul

Definition: Equivocal means "having two or more possible meanings" or "difficult to understand or explain." It can also mean "uncertain."

Example(s):
// When I asked Fatima how her job was going, she gave me an equivocal response: "Let's just say I won't be a sous-chef for much longer."
// The most recent clinical trial produced equivocal results.

Class: noun | Syllables: SAY-der

Definition: A seder (often capitalized as Seder) is a service held in a Jewish home or community that includes a ceremonial dinner and that is held on the first evening, or first and second evenings, of Passover in commemoration of the exodus from Egypt.

Example(s):
// Ari enjoys the stories, songs, and rituals that accompany dinner on the night of the seder.

Class: verb | Syllables: JAIR-ee-man-der

Definition: To gerrymander is to divide a state, school district, etc. into political units or election districts that give one group or political party an unfair advantage.

Example(s):
// When politicians gerrymander, stretching their districts into absurd shapes just to maintain power, citizens often suffer the negative consequences.

Class: adjective | Syllables: bih-LAY-tud

Definition: Belated means "happening or coming very late or too late."

Example(s):
// Olivia called her friend on his birthday to let him know that a belated gift from her was on its way.

Class: verb | Syllables: in-FAN-tuh-lyze

Definition: To infantilize someone is to treat them as though they are an infant—in other words, to treat them as helpless, immature, or as one who lacks adult agency.

Example(s):
// Infantilizing children by shielding them from taking risks can have detrimental effects on their growth and well-being.

Class: noun | Syllables: day-MARSH

Definition: The word démarche refers to a course of action or a maneuver, and especially to a political or diplomatic maneuver. Démarche is also often used specifically for a petition or protest that is presented through diplomatic channels.

Example(s):
// The speaker urged wealthy nations to heed the démarches of those less powerful countries bearing the brunt of climate change.

Class: plural noun | Syllables: shuh-NA-nih-guns

Definition: Shenanigans is an informal word used to refer to mischievous or bold activity or behavior, or to dishonest or questionable practices or conduct. Its oldest meaning, and the one most likely to be encountered as the singular shenanigan, is “a devious trick used especially for an underhanded purpose.”

Example(s):
// Reunited at their class reunion, the school’s most notorious pranksters were instantly back to their old shenanigans, cracking up their former classmates with hilarious toasts during dinner.
// The CEO resigned amid accusations of financial shenanigans and dubious deals.

Class: verb | Syllables: rih-KYOOZ

Definition: Recuse means “to disqualify (oneself) as judge in a particular case.” More broadly, it can also mean “to remove (oneself) from participation to avoid a conflict of interest.”

Example(s):
// The judge decided to recuse herself from the case due to the nature of her relationship with the plaintiff's family.

Class: noun | Syllables: GOH-lum

Definition: Golem refers in Jewish folklore to an artificial humanoid being endowed with life. It can also refer to someone or something (such as a robot) resembling such a being.

Example(s):
// She came to regard her punctilious supervisor as a golem who never had an unprogrammed thought in his life.

Class: adjective | Syllables: ih-MAK-yuh-lut

Definition: Immaculate means "spotlessly clean" or "without flaw or error." In botany and zoology, the word describes beings that have no colored spots or marks.

Example(s):
// Despite the constant demands of school and fatherhood, Javier kept an immaculate home, tidying up whenever the opportunity arose.
// Even a minor scandal has the power to tarnish an otherwise immaculate reputation.

Class: noun | Syllables: BIL-doonks-roh-mahn

Definition: A bildungsroman is a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character.

Example(s):
// She was thrilled to discover that the next book on the syllabus was a bildungsroman by her favorite author.

Class: adjective | Syllables: DISS-puh-rut

Definition: Disparate things are noticeably distinct in quality or character. Disparate can also describe something that contains or is made up of fundamentally different and often incongruous elements.

Example(s):
// The proposed law has the support of a disparate collection of interest groups.

Class: noun | Syllables: kav-ul-KAYD

Definition: Cavalcade refers to a series or procession of usually related things. It can also be used specifically for a procession of riders or carriages, or vehicles or ships.

Example(s):
// Since the high-powered console’s debut late last year, video game companies have steadily unveiled a cavalcade of new games that showcase its groundbreaking graphics.

Class: verb | Syllables: ay-tee-SIKS

Definition: Eighty-six is an informal word that means “to eject, dismiss, or remove someone.” It is usually used in the context of banning or refusing to serve a customer, but it can also refer to rejecting, discontinuing, or removing something in general.

Example(s):
// The teenagers were eighty-sixed by the manager after they attempted to start a food fight in the restaurant.

Class: noun | Syllables: ZAY-nee

Definition: A zany is a person who acts like a buffoon to amuse others, or one who is generally foolish or eccentric. Zany also has a more specific sense that refers to a type of clown or acrobat in old comedies.

Example(s):
// My brother's friends are an unpredictable bunch of zanies.
// The production was bolstered by a talented crew of zanies.

Class: noun | Syllables: sim-bee-OH-sis

Definition: In the field of biology, symbiosis refers to the relationship between two different kinds of living things that live together and depend on each other. In broader, non-scientific contexts, symbiosis means “a cooperative relationship,” such as between two persons or groups.

Example(s):
// A perfect symbiosis was at work between the café’s co-owners, with Stephanie managing the day-to-day operations and Maria handling the finances.

Class: adjective | Syllables: AHB-duh-rut

Definition: Obdurate is a formal word that means “resistant to persuasion.” It is usually used to describe someone who is stubborn or not willing to change their opinion or the way they do something.

Example(s):
// We all admire his obdurate refusal to give up on his goal despite the many challenges he faced.

Class: verb | Syllables: FAWN

Definition: To fawn over someone is to court their favor by groveling or by flattering the person. Fawn is also sometimes used of dogs to mean “to show affection.”

Example(s):
// Still new to celebrity, the musician seemed a bit baffled by those fawning over her during her recent visit to her hometown.
// I'd only been gone five minutes but the puppy fawned on me like I'd been away for hours.

Class: noun | Syllables: KITH

Definition: Kith is an old-fashioned term that refers to familiar friends, neighbors, or relatives. It is often used in the phrase “kith and kin,” which means “friends and relatives.”

Example(s):
// We love inviting all of our kith and kin to family cookouts on holidays.