Word of the Day
heteronym
noun
a word spelled the same as another but having a different sound and meaning.
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Why Dictionary.com chose heteronym
More about heteronym
- From the Late Greek word heterṓnymos, dating back to 1880–85.
- The prefix hetero– means “different.”
- The suffix –onym means “name.”
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EXAMPLES OF HETERONYM
- The word wind is a fascinating heteronym, with one pronunciation representing moving air and the other representing the act of winding a clock.
- Lead is a classic heteronym, with one pronunciation meaning to guide or direct, while the other refers to a heavy metal.
pareidolia
noun
the illusory perception of meaningful patterns or images of familiar things in random or amorphous data, as a face seen on the moon.
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Why Dictionary.com chose pareidolia
More about pareidolia
- First recorded in 1960–65.
- Comes from German Pareidolien, plural of Pareidolie.
- Pareidolie is formed from par(a)– “at the side of; beside; beyond,” and eidol(on) “phantom; apparition.”
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EXAMPLES OF PAREIDOLIA
- The excitement grew as the researchers discovered what appeared to be pareidolia in the data collected from deep space.
- As I stared at the clouds, I experienced pareidolia and saw a bunny shape formed by their fluffy contours.
gullywasher
noun
a usually short, heavy rainstorm.
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Why Dictionary.com chose gullywasher
More about gullywasher
- First recorded in 1900–05.
- Used primarily in Midland and Western United States dialects of English.
- Gully comes from gullet, “the throat,” which comes from French.
- Washer comes from the English verb wash, recorded before 900.
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EXAMPLES OF GULLYWASHER
- The farmers rejoiced as the gullywasher replenished their parched fields.
- The residents of the desert town knew to brace themselves whenever dark clouds gathered on the horizon, signaling an imminent gullywasher.
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