Word of the Day
cantankerous
adjective
disagreeable to deal with; contentious.
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Why Dictionary.com chose cantankerous
More about cantankerous
- Cantankerous was first recorded in 1765–75.
- It is of uncertain origin but may derive from the Middle English word contack, meaning “quarrel” or “contention” that ultimately comes from Old French contek.
- Cantankerous was formed on the model of the not-too-dissimilar words contentious and rancorous.
EXAMPLES OF CANTANKEROUS
- My cantankerous neighbor always complains about the slightest noise coming from my apartment.
- Despite his cantankerous personality, the new boss is known for making effective decisions for the company.
empath
noun
a person who has a particular tendency or ability to psychologically identify with the emotions, thoughts, or attitudes of others.
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Why Dictionary.com chose empath
More about empath
- Empath was first recorded in 1956 in Scottish author J.T. McIntosh’s 1956 “The Empath,” a story about paranormally empathetic beings called empaths.
- Possibly modeled on telepath, empath was formed from empathy, which entered English around 1900 from the Greek word, empátheia, meaning “affection,” translating directly as “in suffering.”
- By the 1990s, empath had jumped from sci-fi to shorthand for a highly sensitive person, and in the 2000s the term was featured in various considerations of emotional intelligence and personality types.
EXAMPLES OF EMPATH
- Being an empath can be both a blessing and a curse, as you feel deeply and truly for others but also can be vulnerable to taking on their emotional baggage.
- As an empath, she felt overwhelmed by the intense emotions of her friends during their breakup.
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Why Dictionary.com chose quiddity
More about quiddity
- Quiddity is from the Latin word, quidditās, meaning “essence” or “whatness.”
- Quintessence or quintessential refer to the perfect embodiment of something and also derive from the same Latin root, quid, meaning “what.”
- Quiddity was first recorded in 1350–1400.
EXAMPLES OF QUIDDITY
- Understanding the quiddity of the problem is key to finding a solution.
- She knew that the quiddity of her subject would come out in the final painting.
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