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.
something of little value or importance; a trifle.
"Bagatelle" refers to a trifle or something of little importance. This whimsical word comes from the French term for a light piece of music as well as a game, adding a playful touch to your vocabulary.
to elevate in degree, excellence, or respect; dignify.
Today's word, "ennoble," means "to elevate in dignity or honor." Originating from the Latin word "nobilis," it implies making something or someone worthy of admiration and respect.
an existing word turned into an acronym by creating an apt phrase whose initial letters match the word, as to help remember it or offer a theory of its origin.
- First recorded in 1980–85.
- Formed from the word back "toward the rear" and (ac)ronym, "a word formed from the initial letters or groups of letters of words in a set phrase and pronounced as a separate word."
- Some people believe the word news stands for "notable events, weather, and sports," but that's not accurate; it's a backronym.
- My neighbor insists that SOS means "Save Our Ship" and wouldn't believe that people made up that backronym years after SOS was first used.
a washing of the hands, body, etc.
- First recorded around 1350–1400.
- Comes via Middle English from the Latin stem of ablūtiō, related to abluere (from which comes abluent, "serving to cleanse").
- Often used in the plural, ablutions.
- As part of his daily routine, he would perform the ablution with reverence and mindfulness, appreciating the ritual's significance.
- The sound of running water during ablution brought a sense of calm and tranquility to her morning routine.
confusing or generally unintelligible jargon; gobbledegook.
- First recorded in 1950–55.
- Formed from the words baffle, "to confuse, bewilder," and gab, "to talk or chat idly."
- It was possibly invented by American lawyer Milton A. Smith.
- As a beginner in the field, I found the technical manual to be full of bafflegab that made learning difficult.
- The company's financial report was so laden with bafflegab that even seasoned analysts struggled to make sense of it.
