Word of the Day
bokeh
noun
a blurred background effect in photos, highlighting the subject
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Why Dictionary.com chose bokeh
More about bokeh
- First recorded in 1995–2000.
- From Japanese boke “fuzziness, blurring.”
EXAMPLES OF BOKEH
- Her face was in focus, with the street scene behind dissolving into muted bokeh.
- The new lens keeps the subject crisp while delivering a natural bokeh that doesn’t look over-processed.
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Why Dictionary.com chose smarmy
More about smarmy
- First recorded in 1905–10.
- From an archaic verb smarm, meaning “to smear.”
EXAMPLES OF SMARMY
- Their smarmy sales pitch felt more like manipulation than persuasion.
- A smarmy comment at the meeting made the whole team cringe.
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Why Dictionary.com chose pavonine
More about pavonine
- First recorded in 1650–60.
- Combines the Latin pāvō, meaning “peacock or peafowl,” + -ine¹.
EXAMPLES OF PAVONINE
- A pavonine silk handkerchief was tucked into his jacket pocket.
- The garden’s mosaic walkway was covered in beautiful pavonine tiles.
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