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
an orange that is peeled and eaten under a steamy shower, the purported benefit being that the steam enhances the orange’s citrusy fragrance and creates a soothing experience for the person who is showering.
Explanation
- Shower orange was first recorded in 2015–20.
- Shower orange, the phenomenon and the name for it, were popularized by a viral social media trend.
- Similar practices, including shower beer and shower wine, and their terms are gaining popularity.
- Shower is an Old English word first recorded before 950, while orange is slightly newer to English, coming from Old French around the 14th century.
- I indulged in a refreshing shower orange this morning, savoring the citrusy aroma and the relaxing sensation of the warm water.
- Enjoying a steamy shower orange is not only a delicious way to satisfy your cravings but also a self-care ritual that offers an invigorating and calming experience for both mind and body.
noun
extreme nervousness; anxiety; hysteria.
Explanation
- Screaming-meemies was first recorded in 1925–30 as a World War I army slang term for a type of German rocket that made a loud noise in flight.
- Screaming-meemies expanded in meaning to refer to battle fatigue as well as to the state of drunkenness or even hysteria.
- Screaming-meemies was formed by way of reduplication with an alteration of the word screaming, and possibly influenced by the French name Mimi.
- The horror movie gave me the screaming-meemies, causing me to jump at every little sound and cling to my friend in fear.
- The dark and eerie forest triggered his worst fears, sending him into a state of screaming-meemies as he imagined all sorts of terrifying scenarios lurking in the shadows.
verb
to speak pompously.
Explanation
- Bloviate was first recorded in 1850–55.
- Bloviate is an Americanism, formed from an alteration of the verb blow with an older informal meaning of "to boast."
- Bloviate was popularized again in the 1920s in connection with the 29th U.S. President Warren G. Harding, who was known for his ornate and often incomprehensible writing.
- During the political debate, the candidate continued to bloviate about his accomplishments without offering any substantial evidence.
- The professor's lectures were often filled with bloviating, making it difficult for the students to stay engaged.
noun
a collection of linked fictional settings composed of multiple alternate dimensions, different timelines, etc.
Explanation
- Multiverse was coined by William James in 1895 in the sense of “the universe imagined as lacking order, unity, or a single ruling and guiding power.”
- It comes from the prefix multi-, meaning "many; multiple," and the second part of universe, "the totality of known or supposed objects and phenomena throughout space; the cosmos."
- Universe comes via French from a form of the Latin word ūniversus, which means "all; entire."
- Multiverse in the sense featured here came about in science fiction writing in the early 1960s.
- The concept of a multiverse challenges our traditional understanding of reality, suggesting that there may be countless parallel universes coexisting alongside our own.
- As the art exhibition showcased various artworks depicting alternate worlds and fantastical beings, visitors were transported into the imaginative realms of the multiverse.
verb
to walk or go aimlessly or idly or without finding or reaching one's goal.
Explanation
- Traipse was first recorded in 1585–95.
- Traipse was once spelled trapse and may be similar to an old verb trape.
- It is possible that traipse is related to tramp, "to walk heavily; to stamp."
- Traipse can also be a noun, defined as "a tiring walk."
- After getting lost in the city, we had to traipse through countless streets before finally finding our way back to the hotel.
- Rather than following a strict itinerary, they preferred to traipse through the narrow alleys of the old town, discovering hidden gems along the way.
