Word of the Day

Memetic can describe something connected with memes and the way they spread through a culture or online space. A joke, image, phrase, or even a behavior can become memetic when people copy it, remix it, and pass it along. The word is chronically online, and a single memetic idea can easily take on a life of its own.

A crispate leaf has edges that curl, ruffle, or wave instead of lying flat. A familiar example for foodies is kale, whose edible leaves have a distinctive ruffled shape. Crispate gives botanists (and the rest of us) a precise word for that characteristic waviness along the edges.

Estimable describes a person or thing worthy of genuine respect or admiration. It belongs to the same word family as esteem and estimate, a connection that reflects the idea of assessing something and recognizing its value. An estimable reputation is earned through actions that give others good reason to think highly of you.

Ipseity names the state of being yourself as a distinct individual. The word comes in handy when talking about the sense that there is a continuous "you" beneath changing moods and circumstances. Your tastes may shift and your life may change, but you'll always have your ipseity.

Lily-livered describes someone who is cowardly or easily intimidated. The phrase comes from an old belief that the liver was the seat of courage, with a pale or "lily-white" liver suggesting it was lacking. A lily-livered person might talk a big game, but they tend to shrink away when the pressure is on.