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Why Dictionary.com chose hermetic
More about hermetic
- First recorded in 1630–40.
- From Latin hermēticus, pertaining to Hermes Trismegistus, a god known for alchemy and magic.
EXAMPLES OF HERMETIC
- A hermetic seal on the jar ensures oxygen stays out.
- The spacecraft’s hermetic modules keep astronauts alive in the vacuum of space.
bokeh
noun
a blurred background effect in photos, highlighting the subject
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Why Dictionary.com chose bokeh
More about bokeh
- First recorded in 1995–2000.
- From Japanese boke “fuzziness, blurring.”
EXAMPLES OF BOKEH
- Her face was in focus, with the street scene behind dissolving into muted bokeh.
- The new lens keeps the subject crisp while delivering a natural bokeh that doesn’t look over-processed.
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Why Dictionary.com chose smarmy
More about smarmy
- First recorded in 1905–10.
- From an archaic verb smarm, meaning “to smear.”
EXAMPLES OF SMARMY
- Their smarmy sales pitch felt more like manipulation than persuasion.
- A smarmy comment at the meeting made the whole team cringe.
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