Word of the Day
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Why Dictionary.com chose adumbrate
More about adumbrate
- First recorded in 1575–85.
- Comes from the past participle of the Latin verb adumbrāre, “to shade.”
- Adumbrāre has the stem umbr(a), “shade, shadow,” also found in the Astronomy terms umbra, “the complete or perfect shadow of a planet,” and penumbra, “the partial or imperfect shadow outside the complete shadow of a planet.”
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EXAMPLES OF ADUMBRATE
- The subtle hints in her letter adumbrated her true intentions.
- The cryptic message seemed to adumbrate a dark future for the kingdom.
denouement
noun
the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel.
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Why Dictionary.com chose denouement
More about denouement
- First recorded in 1745–55.
- From French, literally means, “an untying.”
- Noer from Old French means “to knot” and comes from a Latin derivative of nōdus, “knot.”
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EXAMPLES OF DENOUEMENT
- As the play reached its denouement, the audience held their breath in anticipation.
- In a surprising denouement, the protagonist turned out to be the long-lost heir to the fortune.
esculent
adjective
suitable for use as food; edible.
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Why Dictionary.com chose esculent
More about esculent
- First recorded in 1615–25.
- Comes from Latin ēsculentus, “edible, full of food.”
- Esculentus shares a root with escarole, “a broad leaf used in salads.”
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EXAMPLES OF ESCULENT
- Explorers in the jungle had to rely on their survival skills to find esculent plants for sustenance.
- The food critic praised the restaurant for its innovative dishes featuring esculent flowers and herbs.
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