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
an image, message, or symbol carved into a tree, especially by Indigenous people and often hundreds of years old, providing cultural and historical information not available from other sources.
Explanation
- Coined in 1918 by Australian curator Robert Etheridge, Jr.
- Formed from dendro-, "tree," and glyph, "carving,"
- This term replaced the earlier term arborglyph.
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- Walking through the ancient forest, we stumbled upon a mysterious dendroglyph carved into the trunk of a mighty oak tree.
- Conservation efforts were put in place to protect the valuable history preserved in each delicate dendroglyph scattered throughout the woodland.
noun
the practice of purchasing an air ticket for a flight with a layover at one’s true destination, getting off at the layover point, and skipping the last leg of the flight.
Explanation
- First recorded in 2015–20.
- Comes from the verb skiplag, which was formed from skip, "to pass form one point to another, disregarding what intervenes," and lag, "a lapse of time."
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- Some airlines have started cracking down on skiplagging by penalizing passengers who engage in this practice.
- Skiplagging has become a contentious topic in the travel industry, with debates on whether it is a legitimate money-saving tactic or a form of unethical behavior.
adjective
superior in weight, force, influence, numbers, etc.; prevailing.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1650–60.
- Comes from the stem of the Latin word praeponderāns, which is the present participle of praeponderāre, meaning "to outweigh."
- Related to the verb ponder, "to consider deeply and thoroughly."
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- Despite her preponderant presence in the room, she preferred to stay silent.
- The preponderant influence of social media shapes many people's opinions and behaviors.
noun
(in Hawaii) a crown of fresh flowers.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1835–40.
- Comes from Hawaiian and means literally, “to arrange, put in order, compose, braid.”
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- The hula dancer gracefully moved across the stage, her haku swaying with each step.
- As a symbol of celebration and honor, he presented a fragrant haku to the guest of honor.
noun
pleasure; enjoyment.
Explanation
- First recorded in English in 1480–90.
- Comes from Old French, equivalent to jouiss-, stem of jouir “to enjoy.”
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- The novel's rich descriptions and poetic language offered readers moments of jouissance as they immersed themselves in its captivating narrative.
- The ballet performance was a masterpiece of grace and passion, eliciting feelings of jouissance in all who had the privilege to witness it.
