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Word of the day

feirie

[ feer-ee ] [ ˈfɪər i ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

healthy; strong.

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More about feirie

Feirie is a Scottish dialectal term that comes from Old English fēre, “able-bodied, fit,” from the noun fōr, “journey, act of going.” Fōr, in turn, is based on the verb faran, “to go on a journey,” meaning that feirie is closely related to English fare, farewell, and wayfarer. Feirie was first recorded in English around the turn of the 15th century.

EXAMPLE OF FEIRIE USED IN A SENTENCE

The cyclist was hale and feirie once more after his bout of illness had passed.

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Word of the day

scintilla

[ sin-til-uh ] [ sɪnˈtɪl ə ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a minute particle; spark; trace.

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More about scintilla

In Latin, scintilla means “spark.” Because Latin c often corresponds to English h, scintilla may be related to English sheer and shine, though scintilla may also be connected to Latin scindere “to split,” the source of rescind and scissors. Scintilla was first recorded in English circa 1680.

EXAMPLE OF SCINTILLA USED IN A SENTENCE

After a thorough cleaning, only a scintilla of a splotch remained of the massive wine stain on the couch.

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Word of the day

macédoine

[ mas-i-dwahn ] [ ˌmæs ɪˈdwɑn ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a mixture of fruits or vegetables, often served as a salad.

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More about macédoine

Macédoine is the French name of Macedonia, known today as North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe that borders Greece. An unconfirmed explanation for the definition of macédoine is a nod to Macedonia’s historical ethnic diversity. Macedonia is related to makednós, “tall,” in reference to human height or the region’s highlands. Macédoine was first recorded in English in the 1810s.

EXAMPLE OF MACÉDOINE USED IN A SENTENCE

The macédoine of citrus and melon proved to be a popular appetizer at the potluck.

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