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 latest fashion; last word.
Explanation
- Dernier cri entered English around 1895–1900.
- Dernier cri comes from French and means literally, "last cry."
- You may recognize cri from cri de coeur, another borrowing from French that means "outcry" or literally, "cry of the heart."
- Her outfit at the party was the dernier cri, catching everyone's attention with its cutting-edge design.
- The restaurant's menu boasted a selection of dishes that were not only delicious but also were the dernier cri in culinary innovation.
noun
reliance on temporary solutions rather than on consistent, long-term plans.
Explanation
- Ad hockery was first recorded between 1890–1900.
- Ad hockery comes from the adjective and adverb ad hoc, "for the special purpose or end presently under consideration."
- Ad hoc entered English from the Latin phrase meaning "for this" around 1550–60 when the expression was quickly being adopted into legal and judicial writings.
- The computer programmer's inclination toward ad hockery often resulted in quick fixes that failed to address the underlying issues at hand.
- The company's ad hockery in managing its budget ultimately led to financial instability and a lack of sustainable growth.
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.
