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.
one who collects, studies, or deals in antiquities
An antiquarian is someone interested in studying or collecting old books, objects, or artifacts. They might be more concerned with age and rarity than with sentimental or historical meaning. To an antiquarian, nothing is more alluring than the treasures of years gone by.
The antiquarian spent all day categorizing the ancient pottery shards in his collection.
to find out by thorough and detailed investigation
To expiscate is to uncover information through deep, careful inquiry. The word shares a conceptual link with "fishing," suggesting you are "fishing out" information from a sea of secrets. A curious mind will always find a way to expiscate the facts.
After weeks of review, the auditors finally expiscated a hidden pattern of fraud from the records.
excessive pride for one's own achievements
There's a fine line between confidence and vainglory, which is the kind of boastful pride that draws more eye rolls than admiration. Think of a humblebrag that lost the "humble" or an acceptance speech that's more gloating than glowing. True success speaks for itself and doesn't call for vainglory.
His constant boasting about winning the award was pure vainglory.
producing blossoms or bearing flowers
Floriferous describes something that bears flowers, especially when they're abundant or particularly striking. A meadow in full bloom, a window box bursting with color, or even a houseplant showing off its first buds can all be called floriferous. It's a great word to celebrate spring flowers.
Every spring, her garden becomes a floriferous display of purple, yellow, and red.
deprived of any communication with others
When someone is incommunicado, they're completely cut off from communication, whether by choice or circumstance. Maybe their phone died, or maybe they just need a break. Either way, they're incommunicado until contact is restored.
After leaving her phone with her husband, she went happily incommunicado on her meditation retreat.
