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.
a device, as a skylight or reflector, for diverting light into a building.
Abat-jour is from French, in which abat is a form of abattre, “to beat down,” ultimately from Latin battuere, “to beat.” Battuere is the source of numerous fighting-related words in English, including battle and debate, and French jour, “day, daylight,” is the source of journal and journey. Abat-jour was first recorded in English in the 1820s. EXAMPLE OF ABAT-JOUR USED IN A SENTENCE Through an abat-jour in the ceiling, the sun cast a square of light onto the floor.
a large, flat cushion, used in Japan for sitting or kneeling on the floor.
Zabuton is borrowed from Japanese and formed from za, “seat,” and -buton, a form related to futon. Za as well as both the fu and ton elements in futon are all derived from Middle Chinese. In modern Mandarin, za has the cognate zuò, “seat,” fu is related to bù, “cloth,” and ton shares an origin with Mandarin tuán, “ball, circle, mass.” Zabuton was first recorded in English in the late 1880s. EXAMPLE OF ZABUTON USED IN A SENTENCE The guests each picked up a zabuton upon entering the room so they could sit around the low table in comfort.
a large volcanically active moon of the planet Jupiter.
Io is named after Īṓ, one of Zeus’s mortal lovers in Greek mythology. The name Īṓ, along with many Ancient Greek names, most likely comes from a lost language of the Mediterranean and is of uncertain origin and meaning. German astronomer Simon Marius gave the moon Io its name in the 1610s. EXAMPLE OF IO USED IN A SENTENCE Photos from the spacecraft revealed an ongoing eruption on the surface of Io.
any of a number of timbers forming the lower, more curved portion of the frame in a wooden hull.
Futtock may be an alteration of foothook, the ribs in a boat frame that one could hook one’s foot under for stability while on board. Similarly formed words include baloney from bologna, and cockamamie from the Word of the Day decalcomania. Futtock was first recorded in English around 1610. EXAMPLE OF FUTTOCK USED IN A SENTENCE The futtocks creaked and groaned as the boat was tossed about in the stormy sea.
stately; regal.
Junoesque is formed from Juno, the name for the Roman goddess known as the queen of the gods. The name Juno (Latin Jūnō) may be related to Latin juvenis, “young,” the source of English junior, juvenile, and the Word of the Day rejuvenate. This connection may come from Juno’s ancient association with the new moon. Junoesque was first recorded in English in the late 1880s. EXAMPLE OF JUNOESQUE USED IN A SENTENCE The Junoesque attorney addressed the court with composure and elegance.
