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
a coarse, dark, slightly sour bread made of unbolted rye.
Explanation
- Pumpernickel was first recorded in 1750–60.
- Pumpernickel comes from the German word Pumpernickel, originally a contemptuous name for anyone considered disagreeable.
- Pumpernickel in German contains the word pumper “to break wind” and Nickel, a pet name of Nikolaus “Nicholas.”
- This name was presumably applied to the bread due to its effect on the digestive system.
- The bakery offers a wide variety of bread, including a delicious pumpernickel loaf with its distinctive dark color and tangy flavor.
- The aroma of freshly baked pumpernickel filled the air, tempting passersby to step inside and indulge in a warm slice.
noun
an orange that is peeled and eaten under a steamy shower, the purported benefit being that the steam enhances the orange’s citrusy fragrance and creates a soothing experience for the person who is showering.
Explanation
- Shower orange was first recorded in 2015–20.
- Shower orange, the phenomenon and the name for it, were popularized by a viral social media trend.
- Similar practices, including shower beer and shower wine, and their terms are gaining popularity.
- Shower is an Old English word first recorded before 950, while orange is slightly newer to English, coming from Old French around the 14th century.
- I indulged in a refreshing shower orange this morning, savoring the citrusy aroma and the relaxing sensation of the warm water.
- Enjoying a steamy shower orange is not only a delicious way to satisfy your cravings but also a self-care ritual that offers an invigorating and calming experience for both mind and body.
noun
extreme nervousness; anxiety; hysteria.
Explanation
- Screaming-meemies was first recorded in 1925–30 as a World War I army slang term for a type of German rocket that made a loud noise in flight.
- Screaming-meemies expanded in meaning to refer to battle fatigue as well as to the state of drunkenness or even hysteria.
- Screaming-meemies was formed by way of reduplication with an alteration of the word screaming, and possibly influenced by the French name Mimi.
- The horror movie gave me the screaming-meemies, causing me to jump at every little sound and cling to my friend in fear.
- The dark and eerie forest triggered his worst fears, sending him into a state of screaming-meemies as he imagined all sorts of terrifying scenarios lurking in the shadows.
verb
to speak pompously.
Explanation
- Bloviate was first recorded in 1850–55.
- Bloviate is an Americanism, formed from an alteration of the verb blow with an older informal meaning of "to boast."
- Bloviate was popularized again in the 1920s in connection with the 29th U.S. President Warren G. Harding, who was known for his ornate and often incomprehensible writing.
- During the political debate, the candidate continued to bloviate about his accomplishments without offering any substantial evidence.
- The professor's lectures were often filled with bloviating, making it difficult for the students to stay engaged.
noun
a collection of linked fictional settings composed of multiple alternate dimensions, different timelines, etc.
Explanation
- Multiverse was coined by William James in 1895 in the sense of “the universe imagined as lacking order, unity, or a single ruling and guiding power.”
- It comes from the prefix multi-, meaning "many; multiple," and the second part of universe, "the totality of known or supposed objects and phenomena throughout space; the cosmos."
- Universe comes via French from a form of the Latin word ūniversus, which means "all; entire."
- Multiverse in the sense featured here came about in science fiction writing in the early 1960s.
- The concept of a multiverse challenges our traditional understanding of reality, suggesting that there may be countless parallel universes coexisting alongside our own.
- As the art exhibition showcased various artworks depicting alternate worlds and fantastical beings, visitors were transported into the imaginative realms of the multiverse.
