Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

Word of the Day

Word of the day

carte blanche

[ kahrt-blanch, blahnch ] [ ˈkɑrt ˈblæntʃ, ˈblɑntʃ ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

unconditional authority; full discretionary power.

learn about the english language

Why Dictionary.com chose carte blanche

More about carte blanche

  • First recorded in 1655–65 as blank, blanck, or blanche (without carte) in the card game sense.
  • First recorded in 1700–10 in the sense “blank, signed document,” and in 1760–70 in the more general sense highlighted here, “discretionary power.”
  • Comes from French and translates literally as “blank document.”
  • Sign up for more Word of the Day!

EXAMPLES OF CARTE BLANCHE

  • The director gave the lead actor carte blanche to improvise during certain key scenes.
  • As the team captain, she had carte blanche to choose the starting lineup for each game.
Word of the Day promo
quiz icon
WHAT'S YOUR WORD IQ?
Think you're a word wizard? Try our word quiz, and prove it!
TAKE THE QUIZ
arrows pointing up and down
SYNONYM OF THE DAY
Double your word knowledge with the Synonym of the Day!
SEE TODAY'S SYNONYM
Word of the Day Calendar

Word of the day

quotidian

[ kwoh-tid-ee-uhn ] [ kwoʊˈtɪd i ən ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

daily.

learn about the english language

Why Dictionary.com chose quotidian

More about quotidian

  • First recorded around 1300–50.
  • Comes from Latin quotīdiānus, “daily,” which is similar to cottīdi(ē) “every day.”
  • Quotīdiānus is formed from quot, “however many occur, every” and diē, a form of diēs, “day.”
  • Sign up for more Word of the Day!

EXAMPLES OF QUOTIDIAN

  • The journalist’s task is to uncover the hidden stories within the fabric of quotidian life and shed light on important societal issues.
  • As an astronomer, I study the celestial bodies that shine in the sky each night, but it’s the quotidian beauty of a fading sunset that always captivates me.
Word of the Day promo
Word of the Day Calendar

Word of the day

amalgamate

[ uh-mal-guh-meyt ] [ əˈmæl gəˌmeɪt ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

verb

to mix or merge so as to make a combination; blend; unite.

learn about the english language

Why Dictionary.com chose amalgamate

More about amalgamate

  • First recorded in 1635–45.
  • Formed from amalgam, “an alloy of mercury with another metal.”
  • Amalgam came from the combination of Arabic al, “the,” and malgham, from Greek málagma, “softening agent.”
  • Sign up for more Word of the Day!

EXAMPLES OF AMALGAMATE

  • The artist chose to amalgamate different art styles in her painting, resulting in a truly original piece.
  • The chef amalgamated various flavors to create a unique culinary masterpiece.
Word of the Day promo
Word of the Day Calendar
Word of the Day Calendar