Word of the Day
Learn a new word every day! The Dictionary.com team of language experts carefully selects each Word of the Day to add some panache to your vocabulary.
an ancient method of writing in which the lines run alternately from right to left and from left to right
Boustrophedon describes a style of ancient writing that moves in alternating directions, like an ox plowing a field. Instead of restarting on the same side, each line flips — right to left, then left to right. You don't see boustrophedon much today, but its zigzag pattern is hard to forget once you've pictured it.
The inscription was written in boustrophedon, changing direction with each new line of text.
to accustom to hardship, difficulty, or pain
To inure is to become gradually accustomed to difficulty, especially through repeated exposure. Whether it's cold weather, tough criticism, or early-morning alarms, being inured doesn't mean you like it — it just means you've gotten used to it.
Years of early-morning shifts helped inure her to the discomfort of waking up before dawn.
playful in an aimless way
Ludic describes something playfully spontaneous — imaginative, free-form, and done just for the joy of it. It's the perfect word for when you're off-script, letting curiosity take the lead. A little ludic energy can loosen up even the most rigid day.
He couldn't help but smile at the cats' ludic antics as they batted at a string.
a person who flouts the law, especially one who fails to pay fines owed
A scofflaw is someone who openly disregards rules or regulations. The word was coined during Prohibition as part of a contest to name those who flouted alcohol laws, but the catchy word outgrew that context before long. Whether it's unpaid parking tickets or shooting off fireworks weeks after New Year's, a scofflaw doesn't bother to play by the book.
The scofflaw always ignored his parking tickets, proving his disregard for city regulations.
resembling a duck
Anatine describes anything that resembles a duck in appearance, behavior, or any other way you can imagine. It's a technical term, but there's a touch of whimsy in using it to label something ducklike. Whether it's a duck-shaped cloud or a waddle in someone's walk, anatine is the perfect word when "duckish" just won't do.
The yellow boat had an oddly anatine quality as it floated on the lake.
