Word of the Day
gâteau
noun
a cake, especially a very light sponge cake with a rich icing or filling.
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Why Dictionary.com chose gâteau
More about gâteau
- Gâteau was first recorded in English in 1835–45.
- Gâteau came from French and has origins in the Old French word gastel.
- Gastel is possibly similar to the Old English, Old Saxon word wist, meaning “food or nourishment.”
EXAMPLES OF GÂTEAU
- As I took the first bite of the gâteau, its light and fluffy texture melted in my mouth, leaving behind the delightful flavors of almond and apricot.
- For her birthday, she requested a decadent gâteau with layers of moist vanilla sponge, luscious raspberry filling, and a smooth cream cheese icing.
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Why Dictionary.com chose soi-disant
More about soi-disant
- Soi-disant was first recorded in English in 1750–60.
- Soi-disant comes from the French term literally meaning, “calling oneself.”
- Soi-disant can also mean “self-styled” as in, “The soi-disant ‘Man of Macaroni’ made the best pasta in town.”
EXAMPLES OF SOI-DISANT
- The soi-disant psychic predicted a financial windfall for her clients, but it turned out to be nothing more than wishful thinking.
- The soi-disant fashionista boasted about her unique sense of style, but her wardrobe consisted of outdated trends.
enervate
verb
to deprive of force or strength; destroy the vigor of; weaken.
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Why Dictionary.com chose enervate
More about enervate
- Enervate was first recorded in 1595–1605.
- Enervate is from the Latin word ēnervātus, meaning “weakened.”
- Ēnervātus is formed from ē-, meaning “from, out of,” and nerv(us), “sinew, tendon.”
EXAMPLES OF ENERVATE
- The monotonous routine of his desk job enervated his motivation, making it difficult for him to stay focused.
- The heatwave and high humidity enervated the athletes, hindering their performance on the field.
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