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.
liveliness; vitality; vigor.
Pizazz, which is also spelled pizzazz, pzazz, and even bezazz, is a term of unknown origin. Along with jazz, razzmatazz, and snazzy, pizazz belongs to a family of slang terms with double z’s that may reflect a longer trend of English speakers using the “zuh” sound to provoke a certain feeling or reaction. The first known instance of pizazz in writing dates to 1912, but it became popular when it appeared in the March 1937 issue of the magazine Harper’s Bazaar. EXAMPLE OF PIZAZZ USED IN A SENTENCE Though the singer hit every note, the director advised her to add some more pizazz to her performance to keep the audience’s attention.
the reasoning that, when a conditional statement (if X is red) is accepted as true, a subsequent statement, beginning with “then” (then Y is blue), is also affirmed as true.
Modus ponens is borrowed from Latin and literally means “affirming mode.” Modus, which means “manner, kind, tone, way” in Classical Latin, also appears in the terms modus operandi (literally “way of working”) and modus vivendi (“way of living”). Ponens comes from Latin pōnere, “to place, put,” which is also the source of opponent, position, and postpone. Modus ponens was first recorded in English in the late 1830s. EXAMPLE OF MODUS PONENS USED IN A SENTENCE A common saying that uses modus ponens, with some variation, is “If there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
an alignment of three celestial objects, as the sun, the earth, and the moon.
Syzygy ultimately comes from Ancient Greek syzygía, meaning “union, pair.” Sy- means “together,” as sym- in sympathy and as syn- in sync. Zyg-, meanwhile, is a distant relative of English yoke. Syzygy is not the only English word containing three y’s, but it may be the shortest. Others include hyponymy and mystifyingly. Syzygy was first recorded in English in the 1650s. EXAMPLE OF SYZYGY USED IN A SENTENCE The syzygy of the Sun, Earth, and Moon caused a shadow to fall on the lunar surface.
any person or thing giving strong support or encouragement in time of need, danger, or doubt.
Bulwark is likely adapted from Middle Dutch bolwerc, which is also the source of boulevard by way of French. The bul- element in bulwark is related to bole, “tree trunk,” while -wark is related to English work, wrought, and wright. Bulwark was first recorded in English around the turn of the 15th century. EXAMPLE OF BULWARK USED IN A SENTENCE The guidance counselor was a bulwark, calming her students’ nerves ahead of the standardized tests.
pleasure; enjoyment.
Jouissance is a borrowing from Old French based on the verb jouir (stem jouiss-), “to enjoy.” Old French jouir comes from Latin gaudēre, “to be glad,” which is the source of gaudery and gaudy as well as joy and rejoice. Jouissance was first recorded in English in the late 15th century. EXAMPLE OF JOUISSANCE USED IN A SENTENCE The children’s jouissance in reading only grew when they entered the library for the first time and saw the endless stacks of books in front of them.
