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Why Dictionary.com chose plaudit
More about plaudit
- An earlier version of plaudit was plaudite, which was pronounced as three syllables.
- Plaudite came from Latin plaudere, meaning “to applaud.”
- Plaudit can also refer to a round of applause; in fact, Roman actors would shout Plaudite! to encourage their audiences to clap after a play.
- It’s often used in the plural form plaudits and was first recorded in 1615-25.
EXAMPLES OF PLAUDIT
- The novel received numerous plaudits from critics, praising the author’s unique writing style.
- Despite having stage fright, the speaker gained confidence over time as she received plaudits for her inspiring speeches.
palsy-walsy
adjective
friendly or appearing to be friendly in a very intimate or hearty way.
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Why Dictionary.com chose palsy-walsy
More about palsy-walsy
- Palsy-walsy is a slang term that was first recorded in 1930-35.
- It is a rhyming compound based on the adjective palsy, which was first recorded in 1925-30 and comes from pal.
- Pal was first recorded in 1675-85 and comes from a variant of the continental Romani word phral, “brother, mate,” ultimately from Sanskrit bhrātṛ “brother.”
EXAMPLES OF PALSY-WALSY
- The salesperson’s overly palsy-walsy attitude made the customer feel uncomfortable.
- I don’t like how she acts all palsy-walsy with me when she needs something.
cacao
noun
a small tropical American evergreen tree, cultivated for its seeds, the source of cocoa, chocolate, etc.
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Why Dictionary.com chose cacao
More about cacao
- Cacao is often confused with cocoa, which is a powder made from the seeds of the cacao.
- Cacao was first recorded in 1545–55, while cocoa entered English around 1670 as a variant of cacao.
- Cacao comes via Spanish from the Nahuatl word cacahuatl, which means the seeds of the cacao.
- Both cacao and cocoa are used as common names of the tree, but only cocoa is also used to refer to foods and drinks made from the seeds.
EXAMPLES OF CACAO
- The cacao tree thrives in the warm and humid climate of tropical regions.
- The production of high-quality chocolate starts with selecting the finest cacao beans available.
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