Word of the Day
nepo baby
noun
a celebrity with a parent who is also famous, especially one whose industry connections are perceived as essential to their success.
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Why Dictionary.com chose nepo baby
More about nepo baby
- Nepo baby was first recorded in 2022, even though the term has been used in social media since at least 2018.
- The word nepo is an informal shortening of nepotism, which refers to favoritism that a person receives due to a family relation.
- Nepotism comes from the Italian word nepotismo, based on the word for “nephew.”
- The word baby indicates the familial relationship and comes from babe, which entered English around 1150–1200.
EXAMPLES OF NEPO BABY
- The media often criticizes nepo babies and their perceived lack of talent, but it’s important to acknowledge that connections can only take you so far.
- Many aspiring actors struggle to make it in Bollywood without connections, while some argue that nepo babies have an unfair advantage in the industry.
papadum
noun
a light, brittle flatbread from South Asia, usually made of lentil flour and often topped with chutney or various dips or salsas.
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Why Dictionary.com chose papadum
More about papadum
- Papadum was first recorded in English in 1820–30.
- Papadum comes from the Tamil word pappaṭam.
- Papadum is also known as poppadom or papad.
EXAMPLES OF PAPADUM
- The restaurant was known for its plates of papadum accompanied by a flavorful mint salsa.
- She savored each bite of the gluten-free, lentil-based papadum, which had a pleasing crunch as she chewed it.
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Why Dictionary.com chose profligate
More about profligate
- Profligate was first recorded around 1525–35.
- Profligate comes from the Latin word prōflīgātus, meaning “broken down in character, degraded.”
- The Latin word prōflīgātus was originally a past participle of prōflīgāre, meaning “to shatter, debase, ruin.”
- An obsolete definition of profligate was “defeated.”
EXAMPLES OF PROFLIGATE
- The company’s profligate spending habits eventually led to its downfall, as it couldn’t sustain its reckless financial decisions.
- His profligate shopping spree left him with an empty bank account and a pile of credit card debt.
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