Word of the Day
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Why Dictionary.com chose lope
More about lope
- Recorded in Middle English (1150–1475) as lopen or laupen.
- From Old Norse hlaupa, meaning “to jump.”
- Related to the word leap.
EXAMPLES OF LOPE
- They saw a coyote lope across the highway, disappearing into the brush.
- The jogger loped down the stairs, skipping every other step.
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Why Dictionary.com chose mavourneen
More about mavourneen
- First recorded in 1790–1800.
- From Irish mo mhuirnín, which means “my darling.”
- Related to an Irish verb that means “to cherish.”
EXAMPLES OF MAVOURNEEN
- The weary soldier held the faded letter and said, “Mavourneen, you kept me going through it all.”
- At the end of the play, she said, “Oh, mavourneen! You’ve made my day!”
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Why Dictionary.com chose ramose
More about ramose
- First recorded in 1680–90.
- Combines Latin rāmus, meaning “branch,” + -ose¹.
EXAMPLES OF RAMOSE
- Coral reefs, with their ramose structures, provide shelter for countless marine species.
- The lightning strike left a ramose burn pattern on the wooden fence.
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