Word of the Day
vigilante
noun
a person who takes the law into their own hands
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Why Dictionary.com chose vigilante
More about vigilante
- First recorded in 1825–35.
- From Spanish vigilante, meaning “watchman.”
- Related to vigilance and vigil, from the Latin root vigil, meaning “awake or alert.”
EXAMPLES OF VIGILANTE
- A local vigilante confronted the suspects after gathering evidence on her own.
- Some considered Sir Cadwalader to be a misguided vigilante, while others saw him as a hero.
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Why Dictionary.com chose panache
More about panache
- First recorded in 1545–55 to describe the feathers that decorate a helmet.
- From French pennache, meaning “a plume of feathers.”
- Related to the word pinnacle, meaning “a peak or high point.”
EXAMPLES OF PANACHE
- The chef plated each dish with such panache that it felt like performance art.
- He ran the meeting with a kind of theatrical panache that kept everyone engaged.
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Why Dictionary.com chose gusto
More about gusto
- First recorded in 1620–30.
- From Italian gusto, meaning “taste.”
EXAMPLES OF GUSTO
- She approached furniture assembly with determination and gusto.
- The team celebrated their small victory with outsized gusto.
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