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
the formation of a word by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1570–80.
- Comes via Late Latin, from the Greek word onomatopoiía, which translates as “the making of words.”
- The word poet shares the same Greek stem that means, "maker."
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- The comic book artist skillfully used onomatopoeia in the action scenes, drawing "zap" and "pow" in speech bubbles.
- In poetry, onomatopoeia adds a vivid and auditory dimension to the words on the page.
noun
an unimportant but offensively presumptuous person, especially a young one.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1665–75.
- Most likely a blend of earlier whipster and snippersnapper, which are similar in sense.
- Both whip and snap entered English centuries before and have Germanic origins.
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- The old man scolded the whippersnapper for cutting in line at the grocery store.
- She chuckled at the antics of the young whippersnapper trying to act all grown up.
noun
harsh discordance of sound; dissonance.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1650–60.
- Comes via New Latin cacophonia from Greek kakophōnía, which contains caco- "bad" + -phony "sound."
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- As the orchestra tuned their instruments, a cacophony of mismatched sounds filled the concert hall.
- The classroom erupted into a cacophony of laughter and chatter after the bell rang for recess.
noun
charm; magnetism.
Explanation
- In the sense of "a goblin or spirit," first recorded in 1685–95.
- In the highlighted sense, first recorded in 1955–60.
- Comes from Spanish and is shortened from duen de (casa), “master of (the house)” with duen a variant of dueño, meaning “lord; owner” from Latin dominus "to control."
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- The flamenco dancer captivated the audience with their mesmerizing duende.
- The old bookstore had an enchanting duende that made visitors feel like they were stepping into another world.
verb
to deck oneself out.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1570–80.
- May be related to prank, in the sense of "to dress or adorn in an ostentatious manner."
- Prank came from the Dutch word pronken, meaning "to show off, strut."
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- After hours of prinking in front of the mirror, he was finally ready for the party.
- The costume designer helped the actor prink in elaborate period attire for the play.
