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.
in another direction; toward a different place or goal.
In elsewhither, else is a distant relative of numerous words for “other,” such as Greek állos (as in allograft) and Latin alius (as in alien). Whither, meaning “to where,” is the opposite of whence, “from where,” and is a counterpart of hither, “to here,” and thither, “to there.” Elsewhither was first recorded around the year 1000 as Old English elleshwider. EXAMPLE OF ELSEWHITHER USED IN A SENTENCE The road forked into two paths: one that led to town and another that led elsewhither.
of or relating to a river delta.
Deltoidal means “delta-shaped,” and river deltas are so named for their resemblance to the triangular Greek letter delta (Δ). Delta is adapted from a Phoenician letter, dalt or dālet, originally meaning “door,” related to Arabic dāl (د) and Hebrew dāleth (ד). Deltoidal was first recorded in English in the 1830s. EXAMPLE OF DELTOIDAL USED IN A SENTENCE The low tide revealed a deltoidal cluster of narrow channels at the river’s mouth.
an Italian dessert with coffee and liquor-soaked layers of sponge cake alternating with mascarpone cheese and chocolate.
Tiramisu, from Italian tiramisù, is a literal pick-me-up; the term is based on Italian tira, “pick!”; mi, “me”; and su, “up.” Tira is the command form of tirare, “to pick, pull,” of uncertain origin, while su comes from Latin sūrsum, “upwards.” Tiramisu was first recorded in English in the early 1980s. EXAMPLE OF TIRAMISU USED IN A SENTENCE Sweet, savory slices of tiramisu were the most popular dessert at the Venetian restaurant.
the state or quality of being clouded or opaque, usually because of suspended matter or stirred-up sediment.
Turbidity comes from Medieval Latin turbiditās, which is based on Latin turbidus, meaning “confused, troubled, murky.” Turbidus comes from turba, “crowd, turmoil,” which is also the source of disturb, trouble, and turbulence. Turbidity was first recorded in English in the 1620s. EXAMPLE OF TURBIDITY USED IN A SENTENCE The turbidity of the muddy puddle only increased as a family of geese and goslings waddled through the water.
to expose to an elevated temperature for a period sufficient to destroy certain microorganisms, without radically altering taste or quality.
Pasteurize is named for French chemist Louis Pasteur (1822–95), who proved that germs such as bacteria were responsible for disease. The surname Pasteur means “shepherd” in French and comes from Latin pāscere (stem pāst-), “to feed,” which is the source of antipasto, pabulum, and pasture. Pasteurize was first recorded in English in the early 1880s. EXAMPLE OF PASTEURIZE USED IN A SENTENCE The beer and wine were pasteurized to reduce the risk of food-borne illness.
