25th hour
Something done at the 25th hour means it happens after time has run out, indicating disarray, desperation, or urgency. 25th hour can also characterize something occurring at the last minute.
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headdesk
When a simple facepalm won't do, try a headdesk. Referring to the act of lowering your forehead to your desk, headdesk is an expression of extreme frustration, aggravation, or resignation. -
oat milk
Better make room in your fridge for another milk alternative. Oat milk is a plant-based, lactose-free drink made from liquefied oats. It's widely used as a dairy milk replacement, especially in coffee drinks. -
Is “Anti” Actually An Inclusive Term?
When we think of positive language, anti isn’t the first word that comes to mind. In fact, anti seems like the very opposite of it. The word is a verbal line in the sand—a division between people who are for something and those who are against it. So, it might surprise you to know that the negative anti is being hailed as a more inclusive way to …
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This Word of the Day Quiz Might Make You Tootle
Looking for polysemous inspiration for your new conlang? Take this Word of the Day Quiz with alacrity! If the quiz doesn’t display, please try opening in the Chrome browser. Interested in Words of the Day from the past? Check out this one that we brought to life … Tell us your favorite word from this week below (and share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter)!
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What’s Happening With The Word “Unicorn”?
What do Scotland, Silicon Valley, LGBTQ pride, and Jesus Christ all have in common? Unicorns. You read that right, unicorns. This connection may sound as fantastical as unicorns themselves, that mythical horse famed for the single horn it bears on its forehead. But, only a creature as unique as a unicorn could span such a wide array of contexts. So, too, can the word unicorn. Since …
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Verschlimmbesserung
Verschlimmbesserung is a German noun word for an attempted improvement that only makes things worse. -
Waldeinsamkeit
Waldeinsamkeit is a German word that refers to the feeling one has while being alone in the woods, usually a sublime or spiritual one. -
updoot
Updoot is a humorous internet slang for an upvote (or a "like"), which is a favorable rating a user gives to an online post or website. -
These Made-Up Languages Aren’t Just For Kids
It seems like a rite of passage for most kids: your first made-up language. Whether you devised it with a sibling or wrote in a diary only you could translate, there was an allure in concealing your communication in code. The appeal doesn’t dissipate as we grow older, either. Take Igpay Atinlay. Pig Latin, that is. Plenty of parents still use it to speak about things they don’t …
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complexifier
I'm working on a boat this week, but a big complexifier is that I can't swim! A complexifier, according to Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, is a fancy way of referring to a complicating factor, or… -
When Did “Chemical” Become Such A Toxic Word?
The word chemical elicits strong reactions from many people. You’ve probably seen viral headlines over the past few years about “yoga mat chemicals” in your Subway sandwich bread or “toxic chemicals” in your mascara. Certainly, you’ve seen people online discussing the “dangerous chemicals” they believe are contained in vaccines. When people see the word chemical, it tends to inspire fear, but should it? What is a chemical? A chemical …
