Word of the Day
diatribe
noun
a bitter, sharply abusive denunciation, attack, or criticism
Why Dictionary.com chose diatribe
More about diatribe
- First used in English between 1575–85.
- From the Greek diatribḗ, “pastime, study, discourse;” derivative of diatríbein, literally “thoroughly rub or wear away (time).”
- The connection between the meaning of the Greek roots to the present-day definition is that a diatribe is so angry, long, and often full of “hot air” that it leaves listeners exhausted and thinking, “What a waste of time…”
EXAMPLES OF DIATRIBE
- The film critic’s review was more of a diatribe than an analysis, focusing on everything she disliked about the movie.
- During the debate, he launched into a diatribe against the new policies, highlighting their flaws in an aggressive manner.
rubberneck
verb
to look about or stare with great curiosity
Why Dictionary.com chose rubberneck
More about rubberneck
- An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900.
- See rubber1 + neck. The idea being that the neck turns or twists back like rubber to continue watching something of interest unfold.
EXAMPLES OF RUBBERNECK
- I tried not to rubberneck at the commotion in the restaurant but found it difficult to resist.
- The highway traffic was caused by drivers slowing down to rubberneck at the accident.
zarzuela
noun
a Spanish opera having spoken dialogue and often a satirically treated, topical theme
Why Dictionary.com chose zarzuela
More about zarzuela
- First used in English between 1885–90.
- From Spanish, after La Zarzeula, a palace near Madrid where the first performance took place (1629).
EXAMPLES OF ZARZUELA
- My favorite part of the zarzuela was the comedic interaction between the characters.
- The local arts festival included a zarzuela to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Spain.
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