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 long, broad sash tied about the waist over a Japanese kimono
An obi is a broad, decorative sash tied at the waist over a kimono. Dress codes in Japan have imbued the obi with rich symbolism, and different knots and lengths can signal everything from seasons to marital status. When your wardrobe needs a show-stopping flourish, take inspiration from the obi!
to deny, dispute, or contradict
To gainsay means "to deny or contradict." This word is perfect for those moments when someone tries to deny the undeniable. Stand firm and don't let anyone gainsay the facts!
to polish and make shiny
If you burnish something, you're polishing it until it shines. Shakespeare favored the word to describe dazzling surfaces — anything from Cleopatra's throne to a shining sun. It's proof that the word has long conjured a brightness that catches every eye. Whether you're burnishing silverware or your shoes, you're sure to make them shine like new!
toward what place; in what direction
Whitherward is an old-school way to ask, "Where to now?" This handy adverb translates to "toward what place or in what direction." Before falling out of favor, it was popular for centuries, hitching the question of "whither" to the directional suffix "-ward." Next time your map app freezes up, just go whitherward the road leads and buckle up for a surprise!
a stage or period of greatest strength or success
Heyday refers to a period of greatest strength, success, or popularity. Language historians aren't certain how the term acquired its modern meaning, but early English writers recorded excited cries of "hey day!" (as well as "hoighdagh!" and "heyda!") long before the word came to describe a high point. It's ideal to use in times when the stars align and everything is going your way.
