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.
across or beyond a bridge
Transpontine means "across a bridge," historically used in London to describe areas south of the Thames. This term bridges the gap between geography and history!
the words of an opera or other musical compositions
A libretto is the script of an opera, where the drama unfolds in lyrical form. Borrowed from Italian, it means "little book," though its stories are anything but small. Remember — every great opera starts with a solid libretto!
to dress or adorn
To dight something is to dress or adorn it. The word, which is considered archaic now, has Old English roots. Think of knights being dighted in armor or poets dighting their verses with flowery language. Time to dress things up!
marshy
If a place is fenny, it's marshy. This Old English word conjures up misty wetlands and croaking frogs — perfect for setting a mysterious scene that never gets stuck in the muck.
to extract the flavor or essence of something by boiling
To decoct is to extract flavors by boiling — think of rich broths and potent herbal teas. The word has Latin roots meaning "boiled down." So next time you're making soup, remember: you’re not just cooking, you're decocting!
