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.
family, class, or kind
Ilk labels people or things of the same kind or within the same family. While the term began neutrally in Old English phrases like "of that ilk," modern speakers sometimes use it to lump together folks they're not exactly cheering on. Still, you have to applaud English when such a short word can capture a whole group's vibe!
to make into a city or urbanize
To citify means "to make something or someone more city-like." In the early 20th century, citify and the similar "urbanize" were on roughly equal footing in frequency of use, though the latter has become much more common in recent years. But even today, whether it's your wardrobe or the hometown diner, you can citify anything, for better or worse!
all at once, altogether
Holus-bolus means "all at once." In medicine, a "bolus" is a significant quantity of a drug given as a single dose, and some language historians think holus-bolus could be a playful variation of that. Whether you're dumping every ingredient into a pot or binge-watching a whole season of a new show, going holus-bolus gets it done fast!
having or abounding with stars
Stelliferous describes something abounding with stars, like a night sky sparkling with celestial lights. Astronomers dub our current cosmic epoch the Stelliferous Era, the long stretch when stars generate most of the universe's energy. On a clear night, step outside and enjoy the stelliferous scene overhead!
a gadget or device
Doodad is a lighthearted word for any small gadget or gizmo. It popped into American English in the early 1900s, arriving alongside playfully vague synonyms like "doohickey" and "whatchamacallit." The next time that mystery adapter resurfaces, just call it a doodad, stick it in a drawer, and forget about it for a few more years!
