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.
a person who is an adept conversationalist while dining
A deipnosophist is someone who excels at conversation over a meal. The word has a distinctly old-world flavor, but the idea is familiar: A good dinner companion can keep the table lively without dominating it. A true deipnosophist knows that the best dinners depend on more than what is served.
The talented deipnosophist kept everyone at the dinner table thoroughly entertained with his fascinating stories.
to hide or conceal with or as if with foliage, greenery, or the like
To embosk is to hide or conceal something with foliage or greenery. The word brings to mind a bench tucked behind tall hedges or a cottage wall disappearing behind climbing vines. When plants do the hiding, embosk gives the scene a poetic touch.
The deer would often embosk themselves within the dense thicket to escape nearby predators.
bustling excitement or activity
Hoopla is the lively buzz that builds around an exciting event. It can accompany any occasion that gets everyone talking, such as a big celebration or a grand opening. Sometimes the hoopla is as memorable as the event itself!
All the hoopla surrounding the movie premiere drew hundreds of excited fans to the red carpet.
living or growing in woodlands
Silvicolous describes something that lives or grows in woodlands. The word is especially useful when discussing habitats, since it distinguishes woodland species from those found in open fields or other environments. A patch of moss on a shaded forest floor and a hungry bear poking its nose in a tree are both silvicolous.
Many silvicolous birds build their nests high up in the canopy.
to travel or journey, especially to walk on foot
To peregrinate is to travel or journey, especially on foot. It's a grand-sounding word for something as simple as setting out and seeing where you end up. When you peregrinate, what you discover along the way can matter more than where you finish.
The eager backpackers enjoyed peregrinating from town to town.
