Word of the Day
centesimal
adjective
pertaining to division into hundredths
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Why Dictionary.com chose centesimal
More about centesimal
- First recorded in 1675–85.
- From Latin centēsimus, meaning “hundredth;” combines cent, meaning “100,” + -ēsimus, a Latin suffix related to -th², + -al².
EXAMPLES OF CENTESIMAL
- What people casually call decimal currency is actually a centesimal system.
- The GPS device calculated distances with centesimal precision.
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Why Dictionary.com chose alee
More about alee
- First recorded between 1350–1400.
- Combines a-³, meaning “to, toward, in,” + lee¹, meaning “the side that is turned away from the wind.”
EXAMPLES OF ALEE
- The ship’s deck was cold and slippery, but standing alee provided some relief.
- He threw the rope alee so it wouldn’t tangle in the wind.
quiche
noun
a savory pie filled with custard, cheese, and other ingredients
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Why Dictionary.com chose quiche
More about quiche
- First recorded in the early 1900s, from the French dish quiche Lorraine.
- From a western variant of the German word Kuchen, meaning “a cake or tart.”
- Related to the words cake and cookie.
EXAMPLES OF QUICHE
- The aroma of freshly baked quiche filled the kitchen.
- The hotel breakfast buffet included a delicious spinach quiche.
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