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 blurred background effect in photos, highlighting the subject
Bokeh is the blurred background effect in a photo that highlights the subject and creates a dreamy look. Photographers borrowed the term from the Japanese word for "blur," tacking on an extra "h" at the end. When the cafe lights fade into a fuzzy fog behind your latte shot, credit bokeh for the magic!
excessively or annoyingly flattering
Smarmy describes flattery that's insincere or annoyingly over the top. It was once used to describe slicked-back hair, capturing how charm can sometimes be laid on too thick. If the praise feels excessive, it's probably smarmy — wipe it off and keep moving!
of or like a peacock
Pavonine describes anything that's like a peacock (think vividly multicolored or iridescent). The word comes straight from the Latin word for "peacock," and although the word is versatile, it's often used specifically for things that blend rich blues and greens. When your colorful outfit turns heads as you sashay down the sidewalk, that's pavonine in action!
silly talk, writing, or ideas
Hooey is a playful word to describe silly talk, writing, or ideas. In other words, nonsense! The exact origin is hazy, but the word popped up in American English by the 1920s, and it's been heckling tall tales ever since. Next time a wild claim crops up, just call it out as hooey...or hogwash...or grandiloquence...or make up your own word for it!
to have a good or bad effect or result
To redound means "to have effects that flow back to their source, for better or worse." Its roots trace back to the Latin word for "overflow," hinting at results spilling right back onto whoever set them in motion. Choose your next move wisely, because what comes later may redound to you more than you expected.
