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

Word of the Day

Word of the day

ceilidh

[ key-lee ] [ ˈkeɪ li ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a party, gathering, or the like, at which dancing, singing, and storytelling are the usual forms of entertainment.

learn about the english language

More about ceilidh

Ceilidh is an adaptation of either Irish Gaelic céilidhe or Scottish Gaelic cèilidh, both from Old Irish céile or céle, meaning “companion.” From here, the deeper origins of ceilidh become murky. One proposal is that ceilidh is distantly related to Latin cīvis, “citizen,” the source of city and civilization. Ceilidh was first recorded in English in the early 1870s.

EXAMPLE OF CEILIDH USED IN A SENTENCE

The ceilidh, overflowing with dancing and music, went from dusk till dawn in the small countryside village.

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

bewray

[ bih-rey ] [ bɪˈreɪ ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

verb

to betray.

learn about the english language

More about bewray

Bewray is a compound of the prefix be-, which is a form of the preposition by, and wray, an obsolete verb meaning “to accuse, expose.” Because of the influence of betray, the definition of bewray may have shifted from accusation to disloyalty. The prefix be- appears in befriend, bedazzle, and bejewel. Bewray was first recorded in English in the late 13th century.

EXAMPLE OF BEWRAY USED IN A SENTENCE

Several senators bewrayed Caesar, bringing him to an untimely end.

Word of the Day Calendar

Word of the day

pion

[ pahy-on ] [ ˈpaɪ ɒn ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a subatomic particle with spherical symmetry and positive, negative, or neutral charge.

learn about the english language

More about pion

Pion is either a contraction of pi meson or formed from pi and the suffix -on, which indicates subatomic particles. The Greek letter pi (Ancient Greek or peî) is a borrowing from the Phoenician alphabet, and its name comes from a Semitic root meaning “mouth.” Pion was first recorded in English in the early 1950s.

EXAMPLE OF PION USED IN A SENTENCE

The pion blinked into and out of existence within mere billionths of a second.

Word of the Day Calendar
Word of the Day Calendar