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 eat quickly and voraciously
Snarf is an informal verb meaning "to eat or drink something quickly." Its exact origins are uncertain, but American English speakers have been eating it up since the mid-20th century. If you find yourself snarfing ice cream after a long day at work, try not to inhale it all at once!
After soccer practice, the kids would snarf down slices of pizza before heading home.
sham, spurious, or counterfeit
Pinchbeck describes something that looks valuable or impressive but is actually cheap or downright fake. The word comes from a real person: Christopher Pinchbeck, an 18th-century watchmaker who created a copper-zinc alloy to mimic gold. But pinchbeck or not, if that bracelet you found at the thrift store makes you feel good, that's all that matters!
She wore a pinchbeck brooch that gleamed like real gold in the candlelight.
a veranda, especially a fully furnished one used as a living room
A lanai is a roofed outdoor space, like a porch or veranda. The word comes from Hawaiian and evokes open-air living, warm breezes, and that perfect blend of indoor comfort and outdoor vibe. Whether you're sipping tea or soaking in a sunset, a lanai makes everything feel more relaxed.
We enjoyed breakfast on the lanai, taking in the pleasant garden view.
indeed!
Quotha is an old interjection meaning "indeed," used to express mock surprise or scorn. It's kind of like saying "Oh, really?" with a raised eyebrow. The word is a shortening of "quoth he," but by the time Shakespeare got his hands on it, it had already taken on a sarcastic bite. Use quotha when plain old eye-rolling just won't do.
He was an honest man, quotha, after all his shady dealings!
originating, existing, or occurring at the same time
Contemporaneous means "happening or existing at the same time as something else." It's often used when tracking historical events that unfolded side by side, even on opposite sides of the world. When timelines intertwine, contemporaneous keeps things straight.
The soldier's diary offers a contemporaneous perspective on the events of the war.
