Word of the Day
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Why Dictionary.com chose lief
More about lief
- From Old English (450–1150) lēof, meaning “beloved, dear, desirable.”
- Related to the word love and German lieb, meaning “lovable, dear.”
EXAMPLES OF LIEF
- They would as lief face the storm to get their message out.
- The chef would as lief be an unknown cook rather than a celebrity endorsing frozen dinners.
soporific
adjective
causing or tending to cause sleep
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Why Dictionary.com chose soporific
More about soporific
- First recorded in 1655–65.
- From French soporifique; combines sopor, meaning “deep sleep or lethargy,” + -fic, meaning “making, causing.”
EXAMPLES OF SOPORIFIC
- Some herbal teas are prized for their soporific qualities.
- The novel’s endless descriptions turned out to be more soporific than entertaining.
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Why Dictionary.com chose skerry
More about skerry
- First recorded in 1605–15.
- From Old Norse sker, meaning “rock or reef.”
EXAMPLES OF SKERRY
- The skerry vanished at high tide, leaving boats at risk of striking the hidden rocks.
- The fishermen anchored their dinghy near a lonely skerry to check their lobster traps.
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