Word of the Day
etiolate
verb
to cause (a plant) to whiten or grow pale by excluding light
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Why Dictionary.com chose etiolate
More about etiolate
- First recorded in 1785–95.
- From Old French estuble, meaning “stubble.”
EXAMPLES OF ETIOLATE
- Excessive shade can etiolate emerging seedlings.
- Some specialty farms etiolate certain produce to achieve a more delicate aroma.
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Why Dictionary.com chose blithesome
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Why Dictionary.com chose remora
More about remora
- First recorded in 1560–70.
- From Latin remorārī, meaning “to linger, delay;” the remora fish also comes from this root, as some thought these fish would attach to and slow down ships.
EXAMPLES OF REMORA
- The bureaucracy’s love of paperwork is an eternal remora to efficiency.
- Legal disputes added a remora that pushed the merger timeline back.
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