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Word of the day

felicific

[ fee-luh-sif-ik ] [ ˌfi ləˈsɪf ɪk ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

causing or tending to cause happiness.

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Why Dictionary.com chose felicific

More about felicific

  • Felicific was first recorded in 1860–65.
  • Felicific comes from the Latin stem of fēlīx, which means “happy.”
  • Other related words include felicitous, “apt or appropriate,” felicitate, “to congratulate,” and felicity, “the state of being happy.”

EXAMPLES OF FELICIFIC

  • The felicific news of their well-deserved promotion brought a smile to their face.
  • Taking a walk in nature can have a felicific impact on one’s mood.
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Word of the day

bespoke

[ bih-spohk ] [ bɪˈspoʊk ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

made to individual order; custom-made.

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Why Dictionary.com chose bespoke

More about bespoke

  • Bespoke was first recorded in the sense highlighted here in 1745–55.
  • Bespoke comes from the past tense for bespeak, “to ask for in advance.”
  • The verb bespeak was first recorded much earlier, before 900. It comes from the Old English word besprecan.

EXAMPLES OF BESPOKE

  • As a luxury brand, they offer bespoke travel experiences that are designed according to each client’s unique preferences and desires.
  • The interior of the mansion was adorned with exquisite bespoke furniture, handcrafted with meticulous attention to detail.
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Word of the day

Staff Picks! Our Word Gift For You!

kerfuffle

[ ker-fuhf-uhl ] [ kərˈfʌf əl ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a fuss; commotion.

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Why Jay Lewis from Dictionary.com chose kerfuffle

Jay Lewis, Analytics Director, chose kerfuffle as a gift for you. Find out why!

More about kerfuffle

  • Kerfuffle was first recorded in 1945–50.
  • Kerfuffle is an informal word that most likely comes from the Scots word curfuffle.
  • Curfuffle comes from the Scottish Gaelic words car “a turn,” and fuffle “to disorder, confuse,” which is of imitative origin.

EXAMPLES OF KERFUFFLE

  • The new policy announcement created a kerfuffle among the employees, who were concerned about its implications.
  • The unexpected arrival of a wild boar caused a kerfuffle at the campsite, with campers scrambling to safety.

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