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.
Check out the Word of the Yeartending to readily change, in appearance, beliefs, or behavior
Chameleonic describes someone or something that readily changes to suit new circumstances. Like its reptilian namesake, the word suggests an ability to make quick changes. Someone with a chameleonic personality can adjust to any kind of social situation.
Her chameleonic style allowed her to blend in seamlessly with every crowd she met.
to weaken or reduce in force, intensity, effect, quantity, or value
Having a busy week? A funny movie can attenuate some of the stress by making your worries feel less intense. Attenuate comes from a Latin term meaning "to make thin." Whether it's literal or figurative, something attenuated is weakened or reduced.
A heartfelt apology helped attenuate her anger after their disagreement.
steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state
Working toward a long-term goal takes perseverance, especially when obstacles get in your way. This word, which comes from a Latin term meaning "steadfast," refers to the persistence it takes to achieve something. Whatever you're working toward, perseverance can help you keep at it.
Through years of hard practice, her perseverance finally paid off with a gold medal.
to steal or abduct a cat, especially in order to keep it as one's own
As a noun, a catnap refers to catching some Z's, but the verb can have a very different meaning. To catnap is to steal a cat, especially with the intention of keeping it as your own. So while a catnap might sound like a harmless bit of shut-eye, make sure you know which meaning you're dealing with!
Someone tried to catnap the neighbor's Persian kitten right off their front porch.
permanently attached; not freely moving
Something that stays fixed in one spot and doesn't move freely can be described as sessile. This adjective is used in biology for organisms, or parts of them, that are permanently attached to an object. Sessile comes from a Latin term meaning "to sit," fitting for an object or creature that's stuck in place.
The sessile organisms remain anchored to ocean rocks for their entire lives.
