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 tropical American evergreen tree, cultivated for its seeds, the source of cocoa, chocolate, etc.
Explanation
- Cacao is often confused with cocoa, which is a powder made from the seeds of the cacao.
- Cacao was first recorded in 1545–55, while cocoa entered English around 1670 as a variant of cacao.
- Cacao comes via Spanish from the Nahuatl word cacahuatl, which means the seeds of the cacao.
- Both cacao and cocoa are used as common names of the tree, but only cocoa is also used to refer to foods and drinks made from the seeds.
- The cacao tree thrives in the warm and humid climate of tropical regions.
- The production of high-quality chocolate starts with selecting the finest cacao beans available.
noun
a training technique, used especially among runners, consisting of bursts of intense effort loosely alternating with less strenuous activity.
Explanation
- Fartlek comes from a combination of the Swedish words fart, meaning "speed," and lek, "play."
- Fart is cognate with the English verb fare, meaning “to go, travel,” and lek may be related to English lark, “a carefree adventure; to have fun.” But it has a far more popular relative: LEGO, the name of a brand of interlocking plastic bricks, from Danish leg godt, meaning “to play well.”
- Fartlek was first mentioned in English in the periodical Scholastic Coach in 1952.
- Swedish national cross-country coach Gösta Holmér developed the technique in response to his team’s poor performances against their Finnish rivals in the 1930s.
- The coach designed a fartlek workout that would challenge her team both mentally and physically.
- Fartleks can be a great way for runners to improve their speed and endurance without getting bored with a monotonous training regimen.
noun
a recording on a cassette tape, CD, or digital medium, consisting of music or songs selected by a single person.
Explanation
- Mixtape is a combination of the words mix, from Latin mixtus, and tape, from Old English tæppe “strip (of cloth)."
- The phrase mix tape dates back to at least 1974, when it appeared in Robert E. Runstein’s Modern Recording Techniques.
- Mix tape soon became common enough to become one, unhyphenated word: mixtape.
- By the late 1990s, DJs were selling homemade mixtapes, compiling various artists' songs together.
- Artists also began making their own mixtapes, even featuring original music.
- My brother gave me a mixtape that he made for my birthday.
- She created a mixtape of her favorite songs from the '90s.
verb
to make objection, especially on the grounds of moral or ethical considerations; take exception.
Explanation
- Demur comes via French from the Latin word dēmorārī, meaning "to linger, to delay."
- Demur entered English between 1175–1225.
- The adjective demure, "shy, reserved," entered English later from the past participle of the French verb "to demur."
- Despite her initial reluctance, she did not demur when asked to participate in the project.
- The committee members had no choice but to demur at the proposal, as it went against their ethical standards.
noun
eager or excessive desire, especially to possess something; greed.
Explanation
- Cupidity originally comes from the Latin word cupiditās, meaning “eager, desirous.”
- Cupid, commonly represented as a winged being symbolic of love, comes from the same Latin root.
- Cupidity was first recorded in English between 1400-50.
- Their cupidity for power blinded them to the needs of their constituents.
- The CEO's cupidity led to unethical business practices.
