Word of the Day
ahu
noun
a stone heap or platform used by the Polynesians as a marker or memorial.
More about ahu
Ahu comes from one of the Eastern Polynesian languages, possibly Rapa Nui, the language of Easter Island. On Easter Island specifically, ahu are the stone platforms on which the moai (carved stone figures) stand. Ahu was first recorded in English in the late 1910s.
EXAMPLE OF AHU USED IN A SENTENCE
The ahu stood at the center of the stone-lined clearing overlooking the shoreline.
indecorous
adjective
violating generally accepted standards of good taste or propriety; unseemly.
More about indecorous
Indecorous comes from Latin indecōrus, a compound of in-, “not,” and decōrus, “seemly, becoming.” Decōrus comes from decus (stem decor-), meaning both “honor, splendor” and “ornament,” which is why decus is the source of both decorate and decorum. Indecorous was first recorded in English in the 1670s.
EXAMPLE OF INDECOROUS USED IN A SENTENCE
He was known far and wide for his indecorous behavior, which included off-color jokes and accusatory rants.
emoticon
noun
a digital icon or a sequence of keyboard symbols that serves to represent a facial expression, as :‐) for a smiling face.
More about emoticon
Emoticon is a portmanteau of emotion and icon. Emotion comes from Latin ēmovēre, “to move out,” while icon comes from Ancient Greek eikṓn, meaning “figure, image, likeness.” The resemblance between emoticon and emoji is a coincidence, as emoji is of Japanese origin. Emoticon was first recorded in English in the late 1980s.
EXAMPLE OF EMOTICON USED IN A SENTENCE
The colon and left parenthesis momentarily formed a frowning emoticon before AutoCorrect replaced the symbol with a yellow face emoji.