Word of the Day
kinkeeping
noun
the labor involved in maintaining and enhancing family ties, including organizing social occasions, remembering birthdays, sending gifts, etc.
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Why Dictionary.com chose kinkeeping
More about kinkeeping
- First recorded in 1975–80.
- Formed from the words kin, “a person’s relatives,” and keeping, “maintenance.”
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EXAMPLES OF KINKEEPING
- Despite her busy schedule, she always found time for kinkeeping such as sending cards for special occasions and organizing family gatherings.
- Kinkeeping became more challenging as the family grew and spread out across different cities and countries.
subterfuge
noun
an artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.
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Why Dictionary.com chose subterfuge
More about subterfuge
- First recorded in English around 1565–75.
- Comes from the Late Latin word subterfugium, which is similar to the Latin word subterfug(ere), meaning “to evade.”
- Subter means “below,” and fugere, “to flee.”
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EXAMPLES OF SUBTERFUGE
- His elaborate subterfuge involved creating a fake identity to gain access to the exclusive event.
- Their subterfuge of leaving a decoy package fooled the thieves and protected the valuable merchandise.
totality
noun
Astronomy. total obscuration or darkening in an eclipse.
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Why Dictionary.com chose totality
More about totality
- First recorded in 1590–1600 in the sense of “a whole.”
- The astronomical sense highlighted here was first recorded in the 1840s.
- Comes from the noun total, which came from the Latin word tōtālis, meaning “entire.”
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EXAMPLES OF TOTALITY
- During the solar eclipse, we were lucky enough to witness the breathtaking totality as the moon completely blocked out the sun.
- People traveled far and wide to experience the rare event of totality during the total solar eclipse, hoping to capture it through photography and memory.
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