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 small lie; fib.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1790–1800.
- An informal term with no clear etymology.
- The second element may be the verb diddle “to move back and forth or up and down quickly.”
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- The mischievous twins concocted a taradiddle about their missing homework to avoid getting into trouble with their teacher.
- In her memoir, the author admitted to embellishing certain events with harmless taradiddles to make them more captivating for readers.
noun
the practice of spending many hours in bed during the day, often with snacks or an electronic device, as a voluntary retreat from activity or stress.
Explanation
- First recorded in 2023 and is derived from the noun bed and the verb rot.
- Despite the negative connotation of rotting, many use this term in a positive way to refer to what they consider a form of self-care.
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- Escaping the chaos of everyday life, I sought refuge in the serenity of bed rotting.
- On lazy Sundays, bed rotting becomes an art form as I immerse myself in movies and delicious treats.
noun
a molecular cloud in which new stars are being formed.
Explanation
- First recorded between 1910-1915, and it's a compound of stellar and nursery.
- Stellar was first recorded in 1650–60 and comes from Late Latin stellāris, from stell(a), “star.”
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- The vibrant colors emitted by young stars painted a mesmerizing picture of the stellar nursery.
- The James Webb Space Telescope has captured some stunning images of stellar nurseries, including some close to the Milky Way.
noun
a baby carriage; pram.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1605–15, but in 1850–55 for the highlighted sense.
- From Latin perambulāre, “to ramble, stroll.”
- Primarily used in dialects of British English.
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- The parents carefully strapped their newborn into the perambulator before heading out.
- They admired the stylish design of the new perambulator.
noun
a play called at the line of scrimmage to supersede the play originally agreed upon as the result of a change in strategy.
Explanation
- First recorded in 1520–30.
- Comes ultimately from the Latin verb audī(re) “to hear.”
- First used in the current sense as audible signal around 1950, and then reduced to just audible.
- Audible can also be used more generally for any type of change of plans on the fly.
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- In a split second decision, the quarterback made an audible to throw a deep pass instead of a short completion.
- The quarterback called an audible, overriding the offensive coordinator's play call.
