Word of the Day
naiveté
noun
the quality or state of having or showing a lack of experience or judgment; natural or artless simplicity.
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Why Dictionary.com chose naiveté
More about naiveté
- First recorded in 1665–75 from French.
- As the adjective naive, comes via the Old French word naif, meaning “natural, instinctive,” from Latin nātīvus “natural.”
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EXAMPLES OF NAIVETÉ
- Despite his age, there was a certain charm in his naiveté that reminded others of simpler times.
- As she grew older, her naiveté gave way to a more cautious and skeptical outlook on life.
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Why Dictionary.com chose dragée
More about dragée
- First recorded in 1850–55.
- Comes from French, ultimately from the Greek word tragḗma, “dried fruit eaten as dessert, confection.”
- Also related to the cooking term dredge, “to sprinkle or coat with some powdered substance, especially flour.”
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EXAMPLES OF DRAGÉE
- The pastry chef carefully arranged the dragées on top of the cake to add a touch of elegance and sweetness.
- Guests at the wedding reception delighted in the crunchy texture and sugary coating of the almond dragées.
wistfully
adverb
in a way that is characterized by melancholy or longing; pensively.
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Why Dictionary.com chose wistfully
More about wistfully
- First recorded in 1660–70.
- Comes from the word wistful, with the obsolete word wist, “quiet, silent, attentive” as the stem.
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EXAMPLES OF WISTFULLY
- The musician played a haunting melody on his violin, making the audience sway wistfully to its melancholic tune.
- Walking through the deserted park, she smiled wistfully at the faded graffiti that reminded her of past adventures.
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