Word of the Day

A swivet is a heightened state of nervousness, the kind that sends you rushing or even spiraling, but often over something small. The word tends to show up in the phrase "in a swivet," and it has a playful sound that softens the feeling it describes. It's easy to find yourself in a swivet, so have a mental escape plan ready for when it happens.

To tarry is to linger or delay when you might otherwise move on. Though less common in everyday speech now, the word still appeals to people who like its measured, nonjudgmental tone. Just remember that there's a difference between tarrying and procrastinating!

Poignant describes something that deeply affects you emotionally, sometimes with a dash of bittersweetness thrown in. It traces back to a Latin word meaning "to prick," the same root that gives us "puncture." This linguistic history suggests that a poignant moment doesn't just wash over you; it pierces your emotional defenses.

Sprezzatura is a kind of grace where skill and style appear to come easily. But don't be fooled; looking effortlessly stylish might actually take a lot of work! The idea was popularized in Baldassare Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier, which stressed that sprezzatura is essential at a royal court. Curtsy or bow when you've mastered this word!

If something is erinaceous, it has spiky, hedgehog-like qualities — or it might just be a hedgehog, plain and simple. The word might look a bit odd, but the Latin word for "hedgehog" is erinaceus, so erinaceous isn't so mysterious after all. Keep it handy for prickly subjects!