Word of the Day
Learn a new word every day! The Dictionary.com team of language experts carefully selects each Word of the Day to add some panache to your vocabulary.
a phantom or apparition
An eidolon is a fancy word for a ghostly figure. Elusive and eerie, it can chill the air or send a shiver down your spine. This spooky word is a reminder that some things exist more in feeling than in form.
The shimmering figure that appeared on the staircase was clearly an eidolon.
to exist as an inseparable quality or attribute of something
To inhere is to be an essential or built-in part of something. Courage may inhere in a hero, and curiosity in a scientist — traits that seem inseparable from the person who has them. If something inheres, it's woven so tightly into the whole thing that you can't imagine it any other way.
A strong sense of honesty and justice must inhere in all judges.
the quality of being open and sincere in one's speech
Candor is openness and honesty in speech. When someone speaks with candor, there's sincerity in every word. Even when it's not the feedback you want to hear, candor can guide growth and improvement.
Her refreshing candor about earlier missteps made the negotiation process much smoother for both parties.
radiant or shining
Something effulgent shines brilliantly, whether it's a sunset or a glowing lamp. The word can also be used figuratively to describe things like bright ideas. From a Latin term meaning "to shine," effulgent practically radiates light and cheer.
The effulgent sun peeked over the horizon, casting a brilliant glow across the morning sky.
to confuse (someone)
To muzz someone is to confuse or bewilder them, leaving them flustered. Quirky and playful, this slangy word from the 18th century describes mental muddling. Stay sharp, or risk someone muzzing you!
The professor's complex explanation of quantum physics started to muzz the students.
