Word of the Day 6.30.08

mo·res (môrz, -z, mr-)

pl.n.

1. The accepted traditional customs and usages of a particular social group.

2. Moral attitudes.

3. Manners; ways.

[Latin mrs, pl. of ms, custom; see m-1 in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Posted on June 30, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 6.29.08

plec·trum (plktrm)

n. pl. plec·trums or plec·tra (-tr)

A small thin piece of metal, plastic, bone, or similar material, used to pluck the strings of certain instruments, such as the guitar or lute.

[Latin plctrum, from Greek plktron, from plssein, plg-, to strike; see plk-2 in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Posted on June 29, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 6.28.08

con·nu·bi·al (k-nb-l, -ny-)

adj.

Relating to marriage or the married state; conjugal.

[Latin cnbilis, from cnbium, marriage : com-, com- + nbere, to marry.]

con·nubi·al·ism, con·nubi·ali·ty (-l-t) n.

con·nubi·al·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Posted on June 28, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 6.27.08

jer·e·mi·ad (jr-md)

n.

A literary work or speech expressing a bitter lament or a righteous prophecy of doom.

[French jérémiade, after Jérémie, Jeremiah, author of The Lamentations, from Late Latin Ieremis; see Jeremiah1.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Posted on June 27, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 6.26.08

lu·gu·bri·ous (l-gbr-s, -gy-)

adj.

Mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree.

[From Latin lgubris, from lgre, to mourn.]

lu·gubri·ous·ly adv.

lu·gubri·ous·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Posted on June 26, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 6.25.08

mac·er·ate (ms-rt)

v. mac·er·at·ed, mac·er·at·ing, mac·er·ates

v.tr.

1. To make soft by soaking or steeping in a liquid.

2. To separate into constituents by soaking.

3. To cause to become lean, usually by starvation; emaciate.

v.intr.

To become soft or separated into constituents by soaking: “His winemaker allowed the juice and skins of the white grapes to macerate together overnight before pressing” Gerald Asher.

n. (-t)

A substance prepared or produced by macerating.

[Latin mcerre, mcert-; see mag- in Indo-European roots.]

macer·ation n.

macer·ator, macer·ater n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Posted on June 25, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 6.24.08

ly·ce·um (l-sm)

n.

1. A hall in which public lectures, concerts, and similar programs are presented.

2. An organization sponsoring public programs and entertainment.

3. A lycée.

[Latin Lycum, from Greek Lukeion, the school outside Athens where Aristotle taught (335-323 b.c.).]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Posted on June 24, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 6.23.08

per·ni·cious (pr-nshs)

adj.

1.

a. Tending to cause death or serious injury; deadly: a pernicious virus.

b. Causing great harm; destructive: pernicious rumors.

2. Archaic Evil; wicked.

[Middle English, from Old French pernicios, from Latin pernicisus, from pernicis, destruction : per-, per- + nex, nec-, violent death; see nek-1 in Indo-European roots.]

per·nicious·ly adv.

per·nicious·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Posted on June 23, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 6.22.08

ca·bal (k-bl, -bäl)

n.

1. A conspiratorial group of plotters or intriguers: “Espionage is quite precisely ita cabal of powerful men, working secretly” Frank Conroy.

2. A secret scheme or plot.

intr.v. ca·balled, ca·bal·ling, ca·bals

To form a cabal; conspire.

[French cabale, from Medieval Latin cabala; see kabbalah.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Posted on June 22, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 6.21.08

men·da·cious (mn-dshs)

adj.

1. Lying; untruthful: a mendacious child.

2. False; untrue: a mendacious statement. See Synonyms at dishonest.

[From Latin mendcium, lie, from mendx, mendc-, mendacious.]

men·dacious·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Posted on June 21, 2008 by admin

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