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.
to interlace or interweave, especially branches or vines of trees or hedges
To pleach is to weave together living branches or vines so they grow into a decorative structure. Gardeners have practiced pleaching for centuries to shape hedges and walkways. A row of pleached trees brings both order and beauty to a landscape.
The gardener spent the afternoon learning how to pleach flexible willow branches into a living fence.
a smart aleck who makes overly clever, obnoxious remarks
A wisenheimer is someone who can't resist making smug or overly clever remarks. The word became popular in American English as a playful label for the class clown or wise guy. Every group seems to have at least one wisenheimer who's always ready with a comeback.
Every time the teacher asked a question, the wisenheimer in the back row had a sarcastic comment.
causing annoyance, irritation, or aversion
Something rebarbative causes irritation or dislike instead of drawing people in. Based on the French word barbe, meaning "beard," it evokes a hostile "beard-to-beard" confrontation. From harsh words to grating sounds, rebarbative things have a way of rubbing people the wrong way.
His rebarbative behavior and constant grumbling made it very difficult for the team to work together.
to hang loosely; droop; dangle
To loll is to dangle or droop, like a dog's tongue hanging out or a person's arm dangling over a seat. The word paints a picture of something resting slack instead of being held upright. Like many words that seem to mimic the actions they describe, loll has a sound that feels as loose and unhurried as its meaning.
Tired after a long shift, he let his arms loll over the side of the sofa.
a formal correction of an error, especially one in print
A corrigendum is a formal notice of a corrected error, particularly in a published work. Even carefully edited books and articles occasionally require a correction after publication. A well-placed corrigendum helps set the record straight.
The journal published a corrigendum to fix the spelling mistake found in the lead researcher's name.
