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 address someone familiarly
To tutoyer someone is to speak to them with easy familiarity, like switching from "sir" to "bro." The word comes from French, where it marks a precise grammatical shift to informal pronouns. Whether you're getting closer or letting your guard down, tutoyer is all about speaking freely.
After becoming friends with my neighbor, we began to tutoyer, dropping the formal titles completely.
a beach at a seashore resort
A plage is more than just a beach — it's the kind with striped umbrellas, crystal blue water, and even a bit of glamour. The word was borrowed from French, and it still carries a breezy, European flair. If you're dreaming of your next coastal escape, plage brings the vacation vibes.
We spent the entire afternoon relaxing on the soft sands of the exclusive Sicilian plage.
while standing or walking on tiptoe
Atiptoe describes quiet, careful movement — walking or standing on tiptoe, perhaps with a sense of stealth or anticipation. The word evokes lightness and hush, like someone trying not to wake a baby. Whether you're moving softly or reaching high, atiptoe says it with poise.
She walked atiptoe through the bedroom to avoid waking her napping toddler.
an ancient method of writing in which the lines run alternately from right to left and from left to right
Boustrophedon describes a style of ancient writing that moves in alternating directions, like an ox plowing a field. Instead of restarting on the same side, each line flips — right to left, then left to right. You don't see boustrophedon much today, but its zigzag pattern is hard to forget once you've pictured it.
The inscription was written in boustrophedon, changing direction with each new line of text.
to accustom to hardship, difficulty, or pain
To inure is to become gradually accustomed to difficulty, especially through repeated exposure. Whether it's cold weather, tough criticism, or early-morning alarms, being inured doesn't mean you like it — it just means you've gotten used to it.
Years of early-morning shifts helped inure her to the discomfort of waking up before dawn.
