Word of the Day
buttonhole
verb
to abruptly detain someone in conversation.
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Why Dictionary.com chose buttonhole
More about buttonhole
- First recorded in 1555–65.
- Formed from the words button and hole.
- Button comes from butt, meaning “to push or strike something.”
- Hole comes from Old English hol, meaning “hole, cave.”
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EXAMPLES OF BUTTONHOLE
- The enthusiastic salesperson, eager to showcase the latest products, buttonholed the customer as they entered the store.
- I was in a rush to catch my train, but my colleague buttonholed me in the hallway to discuss a new project.
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Why Dictionary.com chose somnolent
More about somnolent
- First recorded around 1425–75.
- Comes from late Middle English sompnolent, via Old French from Latin somnolentus.
- Somnolentus is a derivative of somnus, “sleep,” plus –ulent, “having in quantity.”
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EXAMPLES OF SOMNOLENT
- The warm afternoon sun shining through the window made the class feel somnolent, with many students struggling to stay awake.
- As the train rocked gently back and forth, the rhythmic motion made me feel pleasantly somnolent.
polyhistor
noun
a person of great and varied learning.
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Why Dictionary.com chose polyhistor
More about polyhistor
- First recorded in 1565–75.
- Originally comes from Greek polyístōr “very learned.”
- The prefix poly– represents “much, many” and hístōr, “one who knows or sees.”
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EXAMPLES OF POLYHISTOR
- As I delved into the pages of her autobiography, I discovered that my grandmother was a polyhistor, with accomplishments spanning from art to politics.
- The documentary showcased Leonardo da Vinci not only as an artist but also as a polyhistor with his contributions to science and engineering.
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