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Word of the Day, facts and observations on language, lookup trends, and wordplay from the editors at Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
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Writing Puzzle #31
Rewrite the following sentence, removing all three clichés:
“Let’s get all our ducks in a row, put our best foot forward, and kick the can down the road.�?
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The word 'catillate' means "to lick dishes."
(Now you'll know how to describe this the next time you find yourself licking some dishes)
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Here are some words for things you may not have known there was a word for:
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Did you know that there is a word for someone who steals books?
It's 'biblioklept'
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Collaborate is a word whose origin is hidden in plain sight. It comes from the Latin ‘laborare’ (“to labor�?) and the prefix ‘com-‘ (“together�?). People who collaborate are laboring together.
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English has a seemingly inexhaustible supply of words that are beautiful and, well, kind of useless:
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Happy Friday Afternoon! Our word for you today is ‘pernoctate,’ defined as “to stay up or out all night.�?
This word has typically been used to refer to passing the night in vigil or prayer, but you can use it however you want this weekend.
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Did you know there's a word for someone whose hair has never been cut?
It's acersecomic
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Ucalegon was the neighbor of Priam (the king of Troy when that city was famously sacked). Spoiler alert for those who have not yet read the Iliad: neither Priam nor Ucalegon has a happy ending.
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Our 1934 Unabridged Dictionary defined 'Ucalegon' as “A next-door neighbor, or a neighbor whose house is on fire.�?
(please do not use this word to make fun of your neighbor if their house is on fire)
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This is funny:
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Replying to @MerriamWebster
lady dressed in bedsheets discovers her family's palatial estate being towed away for nonpayment
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This one may not work as alt-text, but it is telling a great story:
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Replying to @MerriamWebster
That feeling when you're putting on the glam for the evening, but your date shows up in his grandpappy's old wrecker vehicle with chains on the tires.
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This one is also quite accurate, and has an editorial aside:
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Replying to @MerriamWebster
A celestial maiden looks across a cloud chasm at the castle on a tiny, chained sky island. And, for some reason, about four seagulls.
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This is exactly the kind of accurate yet succinct description we were looking for:
Quote Tweet
Replying to @MerriamWebster
A woman, her dress flowing behind her, stares longingly at the castle floating in the clouds while birds circle overhead.
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Times are expressed differently in different parts of the country.
We’re publishing this exactly at 12:45. How would you say this time?
- Twelve forty-five71.3%
- Quarter to one24.3%
- Quarter ’til one2.5%
- Quarter of one1.9%
6,074 votesFinal results
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More colors, more questions
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Leaping with all four legs in the air and an arched back (as a gazelle or springbok might do) is called ‘pronking.’
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This week on Word Matters: Tips for Frenchifying your French
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Writing Puzzle #30
We're not sure what we're looking at either, but put this image into words – so that someone who can’t see it can picture it in their mind. And make it succinct: You have 30 words (English please, not elvish).
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Vacation. Picnic. Perspiration.
These are some of your words of Summer:
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Did you know that English has a specific word meaning "an inferior poet"? And no, the word is not 'poet' (nor is it the name of your ex from college).
It's 'poetaster.'
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Everyone loves a frivoler who frivols. Everyone.
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Replying to @MerriamWebster
I'm a frivoler who frivols,
Writing rhymes in these here tweets --
And I'm messing with the meter
With its silly little beats.
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Who would not agree with this?
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Replying to @MerriamWebster
Frivol Fridays should be a rule.
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This is a lovely sentence.
Quote Tweet
Replying to @MerriamWebster
She frivoled about, casting glitter and starlight as she danced amongst the guests.
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These words are even more beautiful and useless than the ones we told you about last week:
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The part of your back between the shoulder blades (the area you can’t quite reach to scratch) is called the ‘acnestis.’
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