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.
to denounce, condemn, or prohibit something
Proscribe means "to denounce or prohibit something," especially by law. It was first recorded in Middle English, where it referred to announcing the name of a condemned person. Talk about a reputation ruiner!
gray or pearl-gray
Griseous is a fancy way of saying something is gray. This word comes from Latin and adds a poetic touch to any description of art, weather, or fashion.
a fog formed from very small ice crystals
Pogonip is fog made of tiny ice particles, usually found in the western U.S. It's borrowed from a Shoshone word meaning "thundercloud." It may sound cute, but don't let this frosty phenomenon catch you without proper winter gear!
of or relating to parrots
A bright addition to your bird vocabulary, psittacine relates to parrots. You probably won't hear this word around town because it's mostly used in scientific and veterinary circles. Then again, don't be surprised if a particularly clever parrot repeats psittacine back to you!
to cheat or swindle
To hornswoggle is to cheat or swindle, often in a humorous or exaggerated way. This lively Americanism from the 1800s is just as fun to say as it is to catch in action. Don't fall for it!
