inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 29
plummy • \PLUMM-ee\ • adjective
1 a : full of plums

b : choice, desirable

2 a : having a plum color

b : rich and mellow often to the point of affectation

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 28
galumph • \guh-LUMF\ • verb
: to move with a clumsy or heavy tread

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 27
funambulism • \fyoo-NAM-buh-liz-um\ • noun
1 : tightrope walking

2 : a show especially of mental agility

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 26
embarrass • \im-BAIR-us\ • verb
1 : to confuse or disconcert

2 : to involve in financial difficulties

3 : to cause to experience self-conscious distress

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 25
nosegay • \NOHZ-gay\ • noun
: a small bunch of flowers

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 24
invincible • \in-VIN-suh-bul\ • adjective
: incapable of being conquered, overcome, or subdued

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 23
supererogation • \soo-per-air-uh-GAY-shun\ • noun
: the act of performing more than is required by duty, obligation, or need

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 22
numinous • \NOO-muh-nus\ • adjective
1 : supernatural, mysterious
2 : filled with a sense of the presence of divinity : holy
3 : appealing to the higher emotions or to the aesthetic sense : spiritual

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 21
ekphrasis • \EK-fruh-sis\ • noun
: a literary description of or commentary on a visual work of art

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 20
exemplary • \ig-ZEM-pluh-ree\ • adjective
1 : deserving immitation especially because of excellence : commendable
2 : serving as a warning
3 : serving as an example, instance or illustration

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 19
welter • \WEL-ter\ • verb
1 : writhe, toss; also : wallow
2 : to become deeply sunk, soaked, or involved
3 : to be in turmoil

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 18
cohesive • \koh-HEE-siv\ • adjective
: exhibiting or producing a condition in which people or things are closely united

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 17
philately • \fuh-LAT-uh-lee\ • noun
: the collection and study of postage and imprinted stamps : stamp collecting

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 16
vermicular • \ver-MIK-yuh-ler\ • adjective
1 : resembling a worm in form or motion
2 : of, relating to, or caused by worms

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 15
quincunx • \KWIN-kunks\ • noun
: an arrangement of five things in a square or rectangle with one at each corner and one in the middle

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 14

bogus • \BOH-gus\ • adjective

: not genuine : counterfeit, sham

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 13

woolgathering • /WOOL-gath-uh-ring\ • noun

: indulgence in idle daydreaming

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 12

gulosity • \goo-LAH-suh-tee\ • noun

: excessive appetite : greediness

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 11

comity • \KAH-muh-tee\ • noun

: friendly civility : courtesy

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 10

shilly-shally • \SHIL-ee-SHAL-ee\ • verb

1 : to show hesitation or lack of decisiveness or resolution

2 : dawdle

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 9

burke • /BERK/ • verb

1 : to suppress quietly or indirectly

2 : bypass, avoid

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 8

rectrix • \REK-triks\ • noun

: any of the quill feathers of a bird's tail that are important in controlling flight direction

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 7

susurrous • /soo-SUR-us/ • adjective

: full of whispering sounds

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 6

ear candy • /EER-KAN-dee/ • noun

: music that is pleasing to listen to but lacks depth

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

December 5

corrode • \kuh-ROHD\ • verb

1 : to eat away by degrees as if by gnawing; especially : to wear away gradually usually by chemical action

2 : to weaken or destroy gradually : undermine

3 : to undergo corrosion

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

December 4

occlude • /uh-KLOOD/ • verb

1 : to close, shut, or stop up

2 : to shut in, out, or off

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

December 3

peccadillo • /pek-uh-DIL-oh/ • noun

: a very minor or slight sin or offense; a trifling fault

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

December 2

engender • /en-JEN-der/ • verb

1 : to produce, cause, or give rise to

2 : to beget; procreate

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

December 1

anomalous • /uh-NOM-uh-luhs/ • adjective

1 : deviating from or inconsistent with the common order, form, or rule; irregular; abnormal

2 : not fitting into a common or familiar type, classification, or pattern; unusual

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 30

emollient • /ih-MOL-yuhnt/ • adjective

1 : making soft or supple; also : soothing especially to the skin or mucous membrane

2 : making less intense or harsh

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 29

barefaced •/BAIR-feyst/ • adjective

1 : shameless; impudent; audacious

2 : without concealment or disguise; boldly open

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 28

effluent • /EF-loo-uhnt/ • adjective

: flowing out or forth

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 27

leviathan • /li-VAHY-uh-thuhn/ • noun

1 : a sea monster

2 : any huge marine animal, as the whale

3 : anything of immense size and power, as a huge, oceangoing ship

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 26

encomium • /en-KOH-mee-uhm/ • noun

: a formal expression of high praise; eulogy.

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 25

depredation • /dep-ri-DEY-shuhn/ • noun

: the act of preying upon or plundering; robbery; ravage

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 24

aberrant • /uh-BER-uhnt/ • adjective

1 : departing from the right, normal, or usual course

2 : deviating from the ordinary, usual, or normal type; exceptional; abnormal

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 23

rarefy • /RAIR-uh-fahy/ • verb

: to become rare or less dense; become thinned

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 22

fervid • /FUR-vid/ • adjective

1 : heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm

2 : burning; glowing; intensely hot

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 21

florid • /FLAWR-id/ • adjective

1 : reddish; ruddy; rosy

2 : flowery; excessively ornate; showy

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 20

precipitate • /pri-SIP-i-teyt/ • verb

1 : to cast down headlong; fling or hurl down

2 : to cast, plunge, or send especially violently or abruptly

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 19

waver • /WEY-ver/ • verb

1 : to sway to and fro; flutter

2 : become unsteady; begin to fail or give way

3 : to feel or show doubt, indecision

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 18

burgeon • /BUR-juhn/ • verb

1 : to grow or develop quickly; flourish

2 : to begin to grow, as a bud; put forth buds, shoots, etc., as a plant

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 17

pulchritudinous • /puhl-kri-TOOD-nuhs/ • adjective

: physically beautiful; comely

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 16

quiescence • /kwee-ES-uhnt/ • adjective

: being at rest; quiet; still; inactive or motionless

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 15

aver • /uh-VUR/ • verb

: to assert or affirm with confidence; declare in a positive or peremptory manner

"Word of the Day": GRE edition

November 14

equivocal • /ih-KWIV-uh-kul/ • adjective

: ambiguous; unclear, subject to more than one interpretation