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 washing of the hands, body, etc.
Explanation
- First recorded around 1350–1400.
- Comes via Middle English from the Latin stem of ablūtiō, related to abluere (from which comes abluent, "serving to cleanse").
- Often used in the plural, ablutions.
- As part of his daily routine, he would perform the ablution with reverence and mindfulness, appreciating the ritual's significance.
- The sound of running water during ablution brought a sense of calm and tranquility to her morning routine.
noun
confusing or generally unintelligible jargon; gobbledegook.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1950–55.
- Formed from the words baffle, "to confuse, bewilder," and gab, "to talk or chat idly."
- It was possibly invented by American lawyer Milton A. Smith.
- As a beginner in the field, I found the technical manual to be full of bafflegab that made learning difficult.
- The company's financial report was so laden with bafflegab that even seasoned analysts struggled to make sense of it.
verb
to be fretfully discontented; fret; complain.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1520–30.
- Constituted of re-, "in the case of," and pine, "to yearn deeply."
- The slightly more common related word, unrepining means "not complaining."
- The disgruntled customer seemed to always repine about the service at the restaurant.
- It's hard to be around people who constantly repine without taking any action to improve their situation.
noun
a presumed encoding in neural tissue that provides a physical basis for the persistence of memory; a memory trace.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1905–10.
- Comes from the Greek combining forms en-, "to cause to be in," and -gram, "something written."
- Introduced by German researcher Richard Semon, while studying the formation of memory.
- Studies suggest that the formation of an engram involves complex processes within the neural network.
- Through advanced imaging techniques, researchers hoped to locate the precise engram responsible for a particular memory.
noun
keen insight; shrewdness.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1525–35.
- Comes from the Latin word acūmen, meaning “sharpness.”
- Acūmen comes from the stem of acuere, “to sharpen,” as does the English word acute, "sharp or severe."
- Her acumen in identifying profitable investments impressed everyone at the meeting.
- With his financial acumen, he was able to grow his small startup into a successful business empire.
