Word of the Day
inscape
noun
the unique essence or inner nature of a thing
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Why Dictionary.com chose inscape
More about inscape
- First recorded in 1865–70.
- Combines in-¹ + -scape³.
- Coined by the English poet and Jesuit priest Gerard Manley Hopkins.
EXAMPLES OF INSCAPE
- Letting the melody guide her, the song’s inscape unfolded note by note.
- Every individual’s interpretation of a piece of art is influenced by their own inscape.
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Why Dictionary.com chose pettifogging
More about pettifogging
- First recorded in 1570–80.
- Combines pettifog, a backformation of pettifogger, meaning “a petty or fussy person,” + -ing².
EXAMPLES OF PETTIFOGGING
- The lawyer’s pettifogging arguments were only meant to stall the case.
- The novel’s epic saga is weighed down by the pettifogging formalities of aristocratic etiquette.
birl
verb
to spin something (like a floating log) by treading upon it
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Why Dictionary.com chose birl
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EXAMPLES OF BIRL
- She tried to birl the barrel, but it wobbled unpredictably, sending her crashing to the ground.
- The champion of the lumberjack festivals could birl a log without ever losing balance.
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