Word of the Day
Learn a new word every day! The Dictionary.com team of language experts carefully selects each Word of the Day to add some panache to your vocabulary.
to jump or leap from one place to another
To hopscotch is to move by hopping or leaping from place to place, much like the playground game that inspired the word. A rabbit might hopscotch across a lawn, or a child might hopscotch over puddles after the rain. The word captures motion that feels lively, playful, and light on its feet.
The mountain goat began to hopscotch between the narrow ledges to reach the high peak.
the sound of bagpipes
A skirl is the high, piercing sound of bagpipes. You know, the kind that carries far and cuts through the Highland air. The word's sharp, almost onomatopoeic quality mirrors the sound it names. It's impossible to confuse a skirl for anything else.
The sharp skirl of bagpipes filled the air as the parade drew near.
showy but inferior and worthless
Something brummagem may catch your eye at first, but it ultimately falls short in quality or substance. The word comes from a nickname for Birmingham, England, once known for producing imitation goods that mimicked more expensive items. Look out for those brummagem items when you're shopping!
The brummagem watch looked expensive at the flea market but stopped working the next day.
an idler or loafer
A flâneur is a leisurely wanderer, someone who idly strolls about with no particular destination in mind. The word comes out of 19th-century France and evokes the luxury of having time to do nothing at all. In an age of GPS and hyper-efficiency, there's something refreshing about adopting the aimless, unhurried pace of a flâneur.
The flâneur spent his afternoon walking through the city streets, observing the bustling crowds with no destination in mind.
volatile; fickle; erratic
Someone described as mercurial tends to shift quickly from one mood or direction to another. The word descends directly from Mercury, the Roman messenger god known for his speed and unpredictability. That sense of quick change carries through today, keeping life full of surprises.
His mercurial personality meant he was laughing with us one minute and arguing the next.
