Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

Word of the Day

Word of the day

haimish

[ hey-mish ] [ ˈheɪ mɪʃ ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

homey; cozy and unpretentious.

learn about the english language

Why Dictionary.com chose haimish

More about haimish

  • Haimish was first recorded in 1925–30.
  • Haimish comes from the Yiddish word heymish, which comes from the Old High German word heimisc, “pertaining to the home.”
  • The word home comes from before the 900s from the Old English word hām, which is also related to the German word for home, Heim.

EXAMPLES OF HAIMISH

  • The small café down the street had a haimish atmosphere that made me feel instantly at ease as soon as I walked through the door.
  • With its quaint decorations and homemade dishes, the charming restaurant created a haimish dining experience that reminded me of my grandmother’s cooking.
quiz icon
WHAT'S YOUR WORD IQ?
Think you're a word wizard? Try our word quiz, and prove it!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Word of the Day Calendar

Word of the day

dapple

[ dap-uhl ] [ ˈdæp əl ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

verb

to mark or become marked with spots.

learn about the english language

Why Dictionary.com chose dapple

More about dapple

  • Dapple, the verb, was first recorded in 1545–55.
  • Dapple was probably formed from the adjective dappled, “having spots of a different shade from the background.”
  • Dappled first appeared around 1350–1400 and comes from Middle English.
  • Dappled probably has Scandinavian roots and is similar to Old Norse depill, meaning “spot.”

EXAMPLES OF DAPPLE

  • The artist used a hairbrush to dapple paint onto the canvas, creating an abstract masterpiece.
  • The sunlight dappled the leaves, casting beautiful patterns on the forest floor.
Word of the Day Calendar

Word of the day

unfalsifiable

[ uhn-fawl-suh-fahy-uh-buhl ] [ ʌnˌfɔl səˈfaɪ ə bəl ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

not able to be proven false, and therefore not scientific.

learn about the english language

Why Dictionary.com chose unfalsifiable

More about unfalsifiable

  • Unfalsifiable was first recorded in 1835–45.
  • Unfalsifiable is formed from the prefix un, which means “not,” and the word falsifiable.
  • Falsifiable was first recorded in the early 17th century and ultimately comes from the Late Latin verb falsificāre, “to make false.”

EXAMPLES OF UNFALSIFIABLE

  • The existence of parallel universes remains an intriguing but ultimately unfalsifiable theory within the domain of theoretical physics.
  • Pseudoscience often relies on claims that are vague and unfalsifiable, making it difficult to subject them to rigorous empirical scrutiny.
Word of the Day Calendar
Word of the Day Calendar