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.
verb
to behave in a high-spirited, festive manner.
Explanation
- Cavort is an Americanism dating back to 1785–95.
- Cavort comes from the earlier word cavault.
- Cavault is perhaps a combination of the words cur(vet), "a leap of a horse from a rearing position, in which it springs up with the hind legs outstretched as the forelegs descend," and vault, "to leap or spring."
- After weeks of intense studying, the students decided to let loose and cavort around town at the end of the semester.
- The dancers cavorted with contagious enthusiasm, lifting the spirits of all who were watching.
noun
a banquet, feast, or gathering.
Explanation
- Convivium was first recorded in 1720–30.
- Convivium has roots in the Latin word for feast, convīviālis, which comes from the Latin verb meaning "to live together or dine together."
- The adjective form, convivial, "friendly" or "fond of feasting, drinking, and merry company," came from the same root, but was recorded in English earlier, around 1660-70.
- With its vibrant decorations and lively atmosphere, the convivium transformed the park into a festive space for people to come together and enjoy good company.
- The convivium was filled with laughter, music, and delicious food as friends and family gathered to honor the newlyweds.
adjective
pleasing to the taste; palatable.
Explanation
- Toothsome was first recorded in 1545–55.
- The tooth in toothsome comes from the meaning "taste, relish, or liking."
- The -some suffix was formerly used to form English adjectives like quarrelsome and burdensome.
- The bakery displayed an array of toothsome pastries that tempted passersby to indulge in something sweet.
- The aroma from the kitchen enticed them with the promise of a toothsome meal.
verb
to get or achieve something by guile, trickery, or manipulation.
Explanation
- Finagle is an Americanism that was first recorded in 1925–30.
- Finagle comes from a variant of fainaigue, which means "to shirk" or "to break a rule when playing cards."
- The -le ending on a verb means it refers to a frequent repeated action, also used in dazzle or twinkle.
- With his charming smile and persuasive words, he was able to finagle a raise from his boss.
- She managed to finagle her way into the VIP section of the concert, despite not having a ticket.
adjective
(of speech, writing, etc.) high-sounding; high-flown; pretentious.
Explanation
- Bombastic was first recorded in 1695–1705.
- Bombastic comes from the noun bombast, which means "pompous speech; pretentious words."
- Bombast came into English from Middle French around 1560.
- Bombast originally referred to a type of padding from the bombax family of trees, to which the silk-cotton tree genus belongs.
- The politician's bombastic claims fell flat in the face of evidence to the contrary.
- The professor's bombastic language in class left their students feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from the material.
