Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2020/January

2020
← Dec 2019	Jan • Feb • Mar • Apr • May • Jun • Jul • Aug • Sep • Oct • Nov • Dec	Jan 2021 →
1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31

1

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 1

calends n

Often with initial capital: the first day of a month, particularly (Ancient Rome, historical) the first day of a month of the Roman calendar. (by extension) A day for settling debts and other accounts. (by extension, biblical, Judaism, obsolete) Synonym of Rosh Hodesh (“the Jewish festival of the new moon, which begins the months of the Hebrew calendar”) (rare) Synonym of calendar; (figuratively) an account, a record. (figuratively, obsolete) The first day of something; a beginning. Happy New Year from all of us at the English Wiktionary!

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

2

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 2

chary adj

Careful, cautious, shy, wary. Excessively particular or fussy about details; fastidious. Not disposed to give freely; not lavish; frugal, sparing. (obsolete) Cared for, regarded as precious; cherished.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

3

4

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 4

shorthand n

A rough and rapid method of writing by substituting symbols for letters, words, etc. (by extension) Any brief or shortened way of saying or doing something. Sir Isaac Pitman, who developed the widely used shorthand system now known as Pitman shorthand, was born on this day in 1813.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

5

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 5

coryphée n

Synonym of coryphaeus (Ancient Greece, drama, historical) The conductor or leader of the chorus of a drama. (by extension) The chief or leader of an interest or party. (ballet) A ballet dancer ranking above a member of the corps de ballet and below a soloist. The African-American dancer, choreographer, and director Alvin Ailey was born on this day in 1931. His work fused ballet, modern dance, jazz, and theatre with black vernacular.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

6

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 6

taut adj

(also figuratively) Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight. Of a body, muscles, etc.: not flabby; firm, toned; of a person: having a lean, strong body. Of music, writing, etc.: containing only relevant parts; brief and controlled. (figuratively) Experiencing anxiety or stress. (nautical) Of a sailor or a ship: neat and well-disciplined; (by extension) efficient and in order. (oenology) Strong; uncompromising.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

7

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 7

drupelet n

(botany) One of the small drupe-like subdivisions which compose the outer layer of certain fruit such as blackberries or raspberries.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

8

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 8

parlous adj

Attended with peril; dangerous, risky. Appalling, dire, terrible. (rare or obsolete, also England, dialectal) Dangerously clever or cunning; also, remarkably good or unusual.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

9

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 9

adumbration n

(uncountable) The state of being in shadow or shade; (countable) a shadow. (countable) A faint sketch; a brief representation, an outline. (specifically, heraldry) The outline of a charge (“image displayed on an escutcheon”), sometimes filled in with a darker shade than the field. (countable, uncountable, figuratively) A rough or symbolic representation; a vague indication of what is to come, a foreshadowing. (countable, philosophy, specifically phenomenology) The form of an object as seen by an observer.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

10

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 10

fall by the wayside v

(idiomatic) To fail to be completed, particularly for lack of interest; to be left out, to suffer from neglect.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

11

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 11

law unto oneself n

One who is free from the constraints of law or rules. One who flouts the law or conventional wisdom; one who ignores rules or logic to behave according to his or her own standards. (dated) One who is lawful in the absence of an enforced law; one who behaves with integrity.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

12

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 12

recondite adj

Of areas of discussion or research: difficult, obscure. Difficult to grasp or understand; abstruse, profound. Little known; esoteric, secret. Of scholars: having mastery over one's field, including its esoteric minutiae; learned. Of writers: deliberately employing abstruse or esoteric allusions or references; intentionally obscure. (somewhat archaic) Hidden or removed from view. (botany, entomology, obsolete, rare) Of a structure: difficult to see, especially because it is hidden by another structure. (chiefly zoology, rare) Avoiding notice (particularly human notice); having a tendency to hide; shy.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

13

14

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 14

poncy adj

(chiefly British, derogatory, informal) Of, relating to, or (supposedly) characteristic of a ponce. Intended to impress others, particularly in an excessively refined or ostentatious manner; affected, pretentious. Chiefly of a male person: effeminate; gay, homosexual.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

15

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 15

wench n

(archaic, now dialectal or humorous) A girl or young woman, especially a buxom or lively one. (specifically) A girl or young woman of a lower class. (archaic or dialectal) Used as a term of endearment for a female person, especially a wife, daughter, or girlfriend: darling, sweetheart. (archaic) A woman servant; a maidservant. (archaic) A promiscuous woman; a mistress (“other woman in an extramarital relationship”). (archaic) A prostitute. (US, archaic or historical) A black woman (of any age), especially if in a condition of servitude.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

16

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 16

proffer v

(transitive, reflexive) To offer for acceptance; to propose to give; to make a tender of. (transitive, obsolete) To attempt or essay of one's own accord; to undertake or propose to undertake.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

17

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 17

unobtainium n (humorous)

A fictional component or material which, if it existed, would enable one to easily solve a hard problem. An especially rare component that is almost impossible to get hold of. A high technology component that is extremely expensive.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

18

19

20

21

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 21

embrace v

(transitive) To clasp (someone or each other) in the arms with affection; to take in the arms; to hug. (transitive, figuratively) To seize (something) eagerly or with alacrity; to accept or take up with cordiality; to welcome. (transitive, figuratively) To submit to; to undergo. (transitive, also figuratively) To encircle; to enclose, to encompass. (transitive, figuratively) To enfold, to include (ideas, principles, etc.); to encompass. (transitive, obsolete, rare) To fasten on, as armour. (transitive, figuratively, obsolete) To accept (someone) as a friend; to accept (someone's) help gladly. (transitive, law, figuratively, obsolete) To attempt to influence (a court, jury, etc.) corruptly; to practise embracery.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

22

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 22

Freedomite n (also attributively)

(Canada, historical) A member of a Christian zealot sect that split off from the Doukhobors, and which was involved in protests against certain policies of the Canadian government during the early to mid 20th century; the Doukhobors were a non-Orthodox religious group which emigrated from Russia to Canada at the end of the 19th century to escape persecution. (Dominica) A member of the Dominica Freedom Party. (dated) One who advocates for freedom in various contexts.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

23

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 23

lippy adj

(informal) Having prominent lips. (informal) Having a tendency to talk back in a cheeky or impertinent manner. lippy n (uncountable, originally Australia, now also British, New Zealand, colloquial) Lip gloss or lipstick; (countable) a stick of this product. [...] (Scotland, historical) An old dry measure amounting to one quarter of a peck (for goods sold by weight, 1¾ pounds or about four-fifths of a kilogram); also, a container of that capacity.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

24

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 24

Q.E.D. phrase

(mathematics, dated) Initialism of quod erat demonstrandum (“what had to be proved; what was to be demonstrated”): placed at the end of a mathematical proof to show that the theorem under discussion is proved. (by extension) Used to indicate that an argument or proposition is proved by the existence of some fact or scenario. Q.E.D. n Some fact or scenario that proves an argument or proposition; a justification. Today is marked by the United Nations as the International Day of Education to recognize the importance of ensuring equitable and inclusive education at all levels so that people may acquire the knowledge and skills needed to participate fully in society and contribute towards sustainable development.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

25

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 25

poetry in motion n

(idiomatic) Fluid, graceful movement. (idiomatic) A person or thing that moves in a particularly fluid, graceful way. Burns night is held on this date in celebration of the Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns (born on 25 January 1759), and usually involves Scottish foods and recitals of his poetry.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

26

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 26

Aussie salute n

(Australia, humorous) The act of waving a hand in front of the face to flick away flies (particularly bush flies, Musca vetustissima). Today is Australia Day, the nation’s national day.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

27

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 27

iniquity n

(uncountable) Deviation from what is right; gross injustice, sin, wickedness. (countable) An act of great injustice or unfairness; a sinful or wicked act; an unconscionable deed. Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which marks the Holocaust that occurred during World War II – the genocide perpetrated on Jews and other people by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. It is also the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1945.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

28

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 28

piceous adj

(obsolete, rare) Of or pertaining to pitch (“a sticky, dark brown substance obtained from distilling turpentine or wood tar, or crude oil or tar”); having a quality like pitch; pitchlike, pitchy. (chiefly entomology) Resembling pitch in colour; a very dark brown. piceous:

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

29

30

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for January 30

high crime n

(law) Often in the plural: a major crime or wrongdoing, notably one subject to trial before the highest courts which may impose the gravest punishments. The trial of Charles I for high treason and other high crimes began on this day in 1649 (20 January, according to the Julian calendar). Accused of leading England into the First English Civil War to pursue his own interest rather than the good of the country, he was found guilty, and executed on 9 February 1649 (30 January).

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

31