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.
something that serves as a guide or on which attention is fixed
A lodestar is something that helps you navigate life. Originally referring to the North Star, it now also means anything that directs your choices or values. When you need direction and guidance, whether literal or figurative, look to your lodestar.
Her dedication to helping others was the lodestar that shaped her career.
to carry or lug
To schlep means "to carry or drag something with effort." Whether it's hauling groceries, moving furniture, or lugging suitcases through the airport, this Yiddish borrowing captures the laborious side of life. Next time you're hoisting something heavy, you can say you're schlepping it instead.
I had to schlep the heavy bags up three flights of stairs to my apartment.
solemn in disposition or character
Sobersided describes someone practical or solemn in character. Whether quietly observing a raucous celebration or responding with thoughtful restraint during a lively discussion, a sobersided person brings a grounded, measured presence.
Among his more playful siblings, he's always been the sobersided one.
the period of time from one new moon to the next
A lunation is the time it takes for the moon to complete a full cycle of phases. From new moon to full moon and back again, a lunation is about 29.5 days. Whether you're tracking tides or traditions, a lunation helps you appreciate the moon's celestial rhythm.
The ritual is tied to a specific lunation, not a fixed calendar date.
a side of a mountain receiving direct sunlight
Hikers and climbers might gravitate toward the adret, the slope that soaks up the sun while the other side stays cooler and shaded. It's the warm, inviting stretch of the mountain where snow melts first, plants thrive, and the day feels a little more lively. Next time you're outdoors, see if you can look on the bright side!
In early spring, the adret showed patches of grass, while the opposite slope stayed snowy and quiet.
