Word of the Day
enigma
noun
a person of puzzling or contradictory character.
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Why Dictionary.com chose enigma
More about enigma
- Enigma was first recorded in English around 1530–40 and comes from the Greek word aínigma, “riddle,” which derived from aînos, “fable.”
- Enigma was also the name of a ciphering machine used by the German military during World War II. A precursor to computer encryption, the Enigma machine encoded messages into a seemingly random string of letters to be decoded by another Enigma machine.
- The deciphering of the Enigma code by Alan Turing and a team of codebreakers allowed the Allies to secretly read intercepted German messages and is thought to be a major factor in the Allied victory.
EXAMPLES OF ENIGMA
- His mysterious smile and cryptic words rendered him an enigma that no one could decipher.
- Trying to understand her enigma of a personality proved to be an intriguing challenge for those around her.
swank
noun
dashing smartness, as in dress or appearance; style.
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Why Dictionary.com chose swank
More about swank
- Swank entered English around 1800–10.
- Swank may be related to the Scots word swank, meaning “lively.”
- Swank was perhaps ultimately formed from Old English swancor “lithe.”
- Swank is similar to the Middle Dutch word swanc, “supple,” and the Middle High German word swanken, “to sway.”
EXAMPLES OF SWANK
- The suave gentleman effortlessly exuded swank as he greeted everyone with a charming smile and impeccable grooming.
- “The fashion show was a spectacle of swank, featuring models strutting down the runway in glamorous attire.
muster
verb
to gather, summon, rouse (often followed by up).
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Why Dictionary.com chose muster
More about muster
- Muster entered English around 1250–1300.
- Muster came via French from the Latin verb mōnstrāre, meaning “to show.”
- Mōnstrāre derives from the Latin noun mōnstrum, meaning “portent, unnatural event, monster.”
- Monster, “any animal or thing huge in size,” derives from this same noun.
EXAMPLES OF MUSTER
- They mustered up the courage to confront their fears and take a leap of faith.
- The community members mustered their resources to support those affected by the natural disaster.
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