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.
adverb
near in space, time, or relation.
Explanation
- Nigh was first recorded before 900.
- Nigh comes from the Old English word nēah, also spelled nēh.
- Nigh shares an origin with its synonym near, also first recorded before 900.
- Nigh, however, has significantly dropped in frequency since the 1890s and is considered archaic or poetic.
- With each passing day, the end of the week draws nigh and the weekend approaches.
- As the storm grew nigh, the sound of thunder grew louder.
adjective
very lucky.
Explanation
- Jammy was first recorded in 1850–55.
- Jammy is an informal word primarily used in British English.
- Jammy was formed apparently from jam, "a preserve of whole fruit, slightly crushed, boiled with sugar."
- Jammy, in the featured sense, is comparable to the idioms to have jam on it, meaning “to have something easy,” and real jam or pure jam, which means “something easy or pleasant.”
- She found a parking spot right in front of the store, how jammy!
- I was running late for my flight, but luckily the airline held the gate open for me–talk about a jammy break!
noun
an image or other graphic representation that acts as a proxy for a person or is associated with a specific digital account or identity.
Explanation
- Avatar, in its original sense of "the descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form or some manifest shape," was first recorded in English in 1775–85.
- Avatar comes from the Sanskrit word avatāra, meaning “a passing down, descent.”
- Avatāra is formed from ava, “down,” and -tāra, “a passing over.”
- Avatar, in the digital technology sense, came about in the late 1980s to early 1990s.
- His avatar in the game was a fierce warrior with golden armor.
- The website prompts you to upload an avatar to personalize your user profile.
noun
a pancake or griddlecake.
Explanation
- Flapjack was first recorded in 1590–1600.
- Flapjack is a combination of the verb flap, in the sense similar to flip or toss, and jack, which comes from the proper name (a variation of John) and is sometimes used in the names of objects, as in applejack or skipjack.
- Flapjack is used as an informal synonym of pancake, with usage of either term typically depending on regional preferences.
- In the UK, the word pancake refers to the same thing, but the word flapjack refers to something entirely different: a baked good made from oats, resembling what elsewhere may be called a granola bar or oat bar.
- My grandmother's secret recipe for flapjacks always guarantees a stack of delicious golden-brown pancakes.
- We enjoyed a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, and mouthwatering flapjacks at the local diner.
noun
a source of great and sudden wealth or luck; a spectacular windfall.
Explanation
- Bonanza is an Americanism that was first recorded in 1835–45.
- Bonanza comes from Spanish and literally means, “smooth sea.”
- Bonanza is a nasalized variant of the Medieval Latin word bonacia, made up of the Latin words bon(us), meaning “good,” and (mal)acia, meaning “calm sea,” which came from the Greek word malakía, “softness.”
- Finding a hidden treasure chest in the attic was an unexpected bonanza for the family, transforming their financial situation in an instant.
- The tech startup struck a bonanza when it received a generous investment from a major venture capitalist, propelling its business to new heights.
