Word of the Day
juggernaut
noun
any large, overpowering force or object, such as war, a giant battleship, or a powerful football team.
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Why Dictionary.com chose juggernaut
More about juggernaut
- First recorded in 1630–40, but in the highlighted sense, around 1840–45.
- Comes from the Hindi word Jagannāth, from Sanskrit Jagannātha-, meaning “lord of the world.”
- Jagannath is equivalent to jagat, “the world moving” and nātha-, “lord, protector.”
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EXAMPLES OF JUGGERNAUT
- The company’s latest advertising campaign proved to be a marketing juggernaut, attracting customers from all over the world.
- The government’s corruption scandal proved to be a real juggernaut that swept away any hopes for reconciliation.
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Why Dictionary.com chose plethora
More about plethora
- First recorded in 1535–45.
- Comes via New Latin from the Greek word plēthṓra, meaning “fullness,” which comes from plḗthein, “to fill, be full.”
- Can also mean “overabundance.”
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EXAMPLES OF PLETHORA
- After browsing through the bookstore, she was amazed by the plethora of books available on gardening.
- The tech conference featured a plethora of expert speakers discussing the latest innovations in artificial intelligence.
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Why Dictionary.com chose umbrage
More about umbrage
- First recorded around 1400–50.
- From late Middle English, ultimately from Old French.
- Related to the word umbra, “shade; shadow,” which comes from the Latin word meaning, “shade; shadow.”
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EXAMPLES OF UMBRAGE
- The professor’s umbrage at the student’s disrespectful behavior was palpable during class.
- His sarcastic remark caused her to take umbrage and storm out of the room in anger.
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