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.
noun
Astronomy. total obscuration or darkening in an eclipse.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1590–1600 in the sense of "a whole."
- The astronomical sense highlighted here was first recorded in the 1840s.
- Comes from the noun total, which came from the Latin word tōtālis, meaning "entire."
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- During the solar eclipse, we were lucky enough to witness the breathtaking totality as the moon completely blocked out the sun.
- People traveled far and wide to experience the rare event of totality during the total solar eclipse, hoping to capture it through photography and memory.
verb
to apply cosmetics to (the face).
Explanation
- First recorded around 1400–50.
- Comes from an Old French noun that derived from the verb farder, meaning "to apply makeup."
- Farder probably came from the Old Low Franconian verb *farwiđon, "to dye, color."
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- Before the photo shoot, the makeup artist worked diligently to fard the model's face with precision.
- The beauty vlogger demonstrated how to fard effectively for a flawless makeup look in her latest tutorial.
noun
any large, overpowering force or object, such as war, a giant battleship, or a powerful football team.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1630–40, but in the highlighted sense, around 1840–45.
- Comes from the Hindi word Jagannāth, from Sanskrit Jagannātha-, meaning “lord of the world.”
- Jagannath is equivalent to jagat, “the world moving” and nātha-, “lord, protector.”
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- The company's latest advertising campaign proved to be a marketing juggernaut, attracting customers from all over the world.
- The government's corruption scandal proved to be a real juggernaut that swept away any hopes for reconciliation.
noun
a large quantity or wide array; a lot.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1535–45.
- Comes via New Latin from the Greek word plēthṓra, meaning “fullness,” which comes from plḗthein, “to fill, be full.”
- Can also mean "overabundance."
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- After browsing through the bookstore, she was amazed by the plethora of books available on gardening.
- The tech conference featured a plethora of expert speakers discussing the latest innovations in artificial intelligence.
noun
offense; annoyance; displeasure.
Explanation
- First recorded around 1400–50.
- From late Middle English, ultimately from Old French.
- Related to the word umbra, "shade; shadow," which comes from the Latin word meaning, "shade; shadow."
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- The professor's umbrage at the student's disrespectful behavior was palpable during class.
- His sarcastic remark caused her to take umbrage and storm out of the room in anger.
