Each week, we scan the latest headlines to spot words in action. From major news stories to pop culture buzz, this feature highlights language as it’s unfolding. Stories about beating the odds, the end of the penny, and a mysterious figure all contributed to the vocabulary from this week’s news.
borough
noun: one of the administrative divisions of a large city, esp. of New York City
From the headlines: More than 55,000 people ran in the New York City marathon, which covers all five boroughs. Runners from 150 countries began at a starting line on Staten Island, then followed a course north through Brooklyn and Queens. After traversing the Queensboro Bridge in Manhattan, marathoners proceeded up to the Bronx before heading south back into Manhattan, crossing the finish line in Central Park. Kenyan runners Benson Kipruto and Hellen Obiri finished first in the men’s and women’s divisions.
cognitive
adjective: relating to the mental processes of perception, memory, judgment, etc.
From the headlines: A fourteen-year study found that walking just 3,000 steps per day can slow cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers observed that participants who boosted their daily activity experienced brain changes at a more gradual rate compared to those who did not walk as much. At 3,000 steps a day, patients delayed losses in memory and language by three years, while those who reached 7,000 steps slowed their cognitive deterioration by seven years.
cuckoo
noun: a bird with pointed wings, a long tail, and a characteristic call
From the headlines: A rare bird made an unusual appearance in New York. A juvenile common cuckoo, which is native to Asia and Europe, was spotted on Long Island this week. Birders from around the region flocked to the town of Riverhead hoping to glimpse the long, slender bird with a hawk-like tail. The male is known for its distinctive cry, but bird watchers who did see the cuckoo didn’t get to hear it, as it’s not mating season.
Fun fact: “Cuckoo” is an onomatopoeia, with its name imitative of that two-note song.
fiasco
noun: a complete failure or collapse
From the headlines: Musicals that were deemed a fiasco during their brief Broadway runs are now finding fresh life in middle and high schools. Once Upon a One More Time, a Cinderella-inspired show set to Britney Spears’ music, closed after only three months, but is enjoying renewed interest as a newly licensed student production. Removed from the pressures of big-stage expectations, shows like this are thriving with eager young performers, transforming former fiascos into campus favorites.
insurmountable
adjective: not capable of being overcome
From the headlines: India’s national women’s cricket team triumphed over what had long appeared to be insurmountable obstacles to win the Cricket World Cup. On November 2, the team defeated South Africa to secure its first championship title. The victory marks a major cultural shift in a country where women’s sports have historically received limited support. The squad also had to overcome its pattern for faltering in high-pressure moments.
outlier
noun: a person or thing that does not conform to a norm
From the headlines: Catherine Connolly, considered an outlier among Irish politicians, was elected president. Connolly, who won a decisive victory on a progressive, anti-establishment campaign platform, has a blunt style that deviates from mainstream politics in Ireland. Described by political insiders as “beyond the political mainstream,” Connolly’s criticism of NATO, strong support of social equality, and belief that the president should be fluent in the Irish language distinguished her from her opponents.
ovine
adjective: of or pertaining to sheep
From the headlines: Madrid’s Transhumance Festival filled the city’s streets with sheep and attracted enormous crowds of spectators. The annual event celebrates the region’s rural past and traditional farming methods, including the seasonal movement of livestock between pastures. Thousands flocked to the city for a glimpse of the ovine procession, which moved slowly along the cobblestone streets, bleating the whole way.
paucity
noun: an insufficient quantity or number
From the headlines: U.S. businesses are dealing with a growing paucity of pennies. The Treasury Department halted production of the one-cent coin in May, causing the number in circulation to steadily shrink. With pennies becoming increasingly scarce, many retailers have begun rounding cash transactions to the nearest five cents.
specter
noun: a ghostly figure
From the headlines: The identity of a strange figure seen in the window of a Mexican government building months ago remains unknown. After a faint, ghostlike outline appeared during a protest in San Luis Potosí, Gov. Ricardo Gallardo Cardona speculated that it might be a specter. He noted that security cameras showed no one in the room at the time, and that staff members frequently report glimpsing an apparition moving through the supposedly empty building.
unfettered
adjective: not bound or restrained
From the headlines: Dick Cheney, former U.S. vice president, died at the age of 84. Cheney was an influential government figure who advocated for a stronger presidency that would be largely unfettered by congressional approval and able to act quickly. Cheney was the sole congressional representative from Wyoming for a decade, Secretary of Defense under Pres. George H.W. Bush, vice president for George W. Bush, and CEO of the oil services company Halliburton.
