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.
gourmet; a person who appreciates good food
"Feinschmecker" is a German term for a gourmet or a person with refined taste in food. It’s a delicious word for those who savor the finer things in life.
needless repetition of an idea
"Tautology" is a redundant term that refers to saying the same thing twice in different words. An example of tautology is the phrase "free gift"—after all, a gift is inherently free! Learning about tautology can help you sharpen your writing by avoiding unnecessary repetition.
to join or fit together compactly or harmoniously.
The word "dovetail" comes straight from carpentry. It means to fit together seamlessly or harmoniously, much like the interlocking pieces of a dovetail joint in woodworking. Whether you're talking about ideas, plans, or actual wood pieces, "dovetail" is perfect for describing a perfect fit!
a ghostly double or counterpart of a living person.
Today’s Word of the Day, “doppelgänger,” comes from German and means a look-alike or the double of a living person. This intriguing concept has appeared in folklore and literature for centuries.
referring to something by one of its attributes or a by a related word.
"Metonymy" is a figure of speech that’s all about substitution! This nifty term refers to using one word to stand in for another with which it's closely associated. For example, saying "the White House" to mean "the President and their staff" is a classic case of metonymy. Let this clever concept brighten your linguistic toolbox!
