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

June 4

mumblety-peg • \MUM-bul-tee-peg\ • noun

: a game in which the players try to flip a knife from various positions so that the blade will stick into the ground

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

June 3

nictitate • \NIK-tuh-tayt\ • verb

: wink

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

June 2

lambent • \LAM-bunt\ • adjective

1 : playing lightly on or over a surface : flickering

2 : softly bright or radiant

3 : marked by lightness or brilliance especially of expression

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

June 1

iota • \eye-OH-tuh\ • noun

1 : the 9th letter of the Greek alphabet

2 : an infinitesimal amount : jot

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

May 31

deleterious • \del-uh-TEER-ee-us\ • adjective

: harmful often in a subtle or unexpected way

May 30

enfant terrible • \ahn-fahn-teh-REE-bluh\ • adjective

1 a : a child whose inopportune remarks cause embarassment

b : a person known for shocking remarks or outrageous behavior

2 : a usually young and successful person who is strikingly unorthodox, innovative, or aant-garde

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

May 29

credulous • \KREJ-uh-lus\ • adjective

1 : ready to believe especially on slight or uncertain evidence

2 : proceeding from credulity

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

May 28

lexicographer • \lek-suh-KAH-gruh-fer\ • noun

: an author or editor of a dictionary

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

May 27

bombard • \bahm-BARD\ • verb

1 : to attack especially with artillery or bombers

2 : to assail vigorously or persistently (as with questions)

2 a : to subject to the impact of rapidly moving particles (as electrons)

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

May 26

prodigious • \pruh-DIJ-us\ •adjective

1 : resembling or befitting a prodigy : strange, unusual

2 : exciting amazement or wonder

3 : extraordinary in bulk, quantity or degree : enormous

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

May 25

cryptography • \krip-TAH-gruh-fee\ • noun

1 : the enciphering and deciphering of messages in secret code or cipher; also : the computerized encoding and decoding of information

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

May 24

samara • \SAM-uh-ruh\ • noun

: a dry indehiscent usually one-seeded winged fruit (as of an ash or elm tree)

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

May 23

assay • \a-SAY\ • verb

1 : try, attempt

2 a : to analyze (as an ore) for one or more specific components

b : to prove to be of a particular nature by means of analysis

3 : to judge the worth of : estimate

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

May 22

clew • \KLOO\ • noun

1 : a ball of thread, yarn or cord

2 : clue

2 a : a lower corner or only the after corner of a sail

b : a metal loop attached to the lower corner of a sail

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

May 21

ambiguous • \am-BIG-yuh-wus\ • adjective

1 : doubtful or uncertain especially from obscurity or indistinctness

b : inexplicable

2 : capable of being understood in two or more possible senses or ways

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

May 20

coiffure • \suh-WAHR-uh\ • noun

: a style or manner of arranging the hair

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

May 19

wistful • \WIST-ful\ • noun

1 : full of yearning or desire tinged with melancholy, also : inspiring such yearning

2 : musingly sad : pensive

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

May 18

acolyte • \AK-uh-lyte\ • noun

1 : one who assists a member of the clergy in a liturgical service by performing minor duties

2 : one who attends or assists : follower

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

May 17

saguaro • \suh-WAHR-uh\ • noun

1 : a tall columnar usually sparsely-branched cactus of dry areas of the southwestern United States and Mexico that bears white flowers and a scaly reddish edible fruit and that may attain a height of up to 50 feet (16 meters)

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

May 16

muscilaginous • \myoo-suh-LAJ-uh-nus\ • adjective

1 : sticky, viscid

2 : of, relating to, full of, or secreting muscilage

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

May 15

collaborate • \kuh-LAB-uh-rayt\ • verb

1 : to work jointly with others

2 : to cooperate with an enemy and especially an occupying force

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

May 14

breadbasket • \BRED-bass-kut\ • noun

1 : slang : stomach

2 : a major cereal-producing region

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

May 13

tin-pot • \TIN-PAHT\ • adjective

: cheap or trivial of its kind : petty, small-time, two-bit

]

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

May 12

palooka • \puh-LOO-kuh\ • noun

1 : an inexperienced or incompetent boxer

2 : oaf, lout

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

May 11

pursy • \PER-see\ • noun

1 : having a puckered appearance

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

May 10

factoid • \FAK-toyd\ • noun

1 : an invented fact believed to be true because of its appearance in print

2 : a briefly stated and usually trivial fact

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

May 9

venal • \VEE-nul\ • adjective

1 : capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration; especially : open to corrupt influence and especially bribery

2 : originating in, characterized by, or associated with corrupt bribery

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

May 8

applesauce • \AP-ul-sawss\ • noun

1 : a relish or dessert made of apples stewed to a pulp and sweetened

2 : slang : bunkum, nonsense

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

May 7

curious • \KYUR-ee-us\ • adjective

1 b : marked by desire to investigate and learn

a : marked by inquisitive interest in others concerns : nosy

2 : exciting attention as strange, novel or unexpected : odd

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

May 6

gesundheit • \guh-ZOONT-hyte\ • interjection

: used to wish good health especially to one who has just sneezed

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

May 5

jalousie • \JAL-uh-see\ • noun

1 : a blind with adjustable horizontal slats for admitting light and air while excluding direct sun and rain

2 : a window made of adjustable glass louvers that control ventilation

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

May 4

wane • \WAYN\ • verb

1 : to decrease in size, extent, or degree

2 : to fall gradually from power, prosperity, or influence

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

May 3

odious • \OH-dee-us\ • adjective

: arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance : hateful

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

May 2

vamoose • \vuh-MOOSS\ • verb

: to depart quickly

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

May 1

Beltane • \BEL-tayn\ • noun

: the Celtic May Day festival

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

April 30

shivaree • \shiv-uh-REE\ • noun

1 : a noisy mock serenade to a newly married couple

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

April 29

ken • \KEN\ • noun

1 a : the range of vision

b : sight, view

2 : the range of perception, understanding, or knowledge

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

April 28

catastrophe • \kuh-TASS-truh-feek\ • noun

1 : a momentous tragic event : disaster

2 a : a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earth

b : a violent usually destrucive natural event (as a supernova)

3 : utter failure : fiasco

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

April 27

axiomatic • \ak-see-uh-MAT-ik\ • adjective

1 : taken for granted : self-evident

2 : based on or involving an axiom or system of axioms

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

April 26

ensconce • \in-SKAHNSS\ • verb

1 : to place or hide securely : conceal

2 : to establish or settle firmly, comfortably, or snugly

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

April 25

vitrine • \vuh-TREEN\ • noun

: a glass showcase or cabinet especially for displaying fine wares or specimens

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

April 24

aspersion • \uh-SPER-zhun\ • noun

1 : a sprinkling with water especially in religious ceremonies

2 a : a false or misleading charge meant to harm someone's reputation

b : the act of making such a charge : defamation