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.
the plants growing beneath the main canopy of a forest
The understory is the layer of vegetation growing beneath a forest's treetops. Though it's overshadowed by towering trees, it can be rich with shrubs, saplings, and ferns. Having a hard time seeing the forest for the trees? Well, maybe you're just enchanted by a lush, beautiful understory instead!
The ecologists walked through the dense understory, taking note of every plant species they observed.
short and stout
If something is fubsy, it's short and stocky, but the word has a warm, affectionate quality that makes it feel more endearing than critical. Think of Shetland ponies and overstuffed armchairs. Could a teapot be fubsy? If it's short and stout, then sure!
The fubsy little bulldog waddled through the park on its short, thick legs.
to take off or tip a hat as a greeting
To doff is to briefly remove or tip a hat as a friendly or respectful gesture. The word began as a contraction of "do off," just as "don" is from "do on." While hats no longer play quite the role in social conventions that they once did, doff still offers a glimpse into the rituals of everyday courtesy from an earlier era.
The polite gentleman doffed his cap as his neighbor walked past him.
lacking vigor or force
Something languid feels unrushed, and if it moves at all, it's at a relaxed pace. While the word can suggest fatigue or listlessness, it isn't always negative. A languid summer afternoon might not be the most productive, but it can certainly help melt your stress away.
He gave a languid wave from the hammock instead of standing up to say hello.
a person who hoards books
A bibliotaph is a book lover who takes their passion to the extreme. It's that person who can never resist an intriguing book and keeps adding to their collection faster than they can read it all. A bibliotaph might find they're running out of room in their home library, but they'll rarely regret it.
The bibliotaph refused to lend out any of his rare books, preferring to keep them close at hand for any possible occasion.
