Word of the Day
geyser
[ gahy-zer ]
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noun
a hot spring that sends up fountains of water and steam into the air
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Why Dictionary.com chose geyser
More about geyser
- First recorded in 1755鈥�65.
- From Geysir, name of a specific hot spring in Iceland, meaning “gusher.”
EXAMPLES OF GEYSER
- Like clockwork, the geyser released a boiling plume of steam every hour.
- The earliest accounts of the phenomenon claimed the geyser basin smelled like sulfur and sounded like thunder.
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Why Dictionary.com chose gnathonic
More about gnathonic
- First recorded in 1630鈥�40.
- Derived from 骋苍补迟丑艒, the name of a parasitic character from the 2nd century BC play Eunuchus by Terence.
EXAMPLES OF GNATHONIC
- Their gnathonic laughter filled the boardroom every time the CEO cracked a joke.
- There’s something suspicious about a gnathonic review that calls every dish at the new restaurant “life-changing.”
edify
[ ed-uh-fahy ]
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verb
to instruct, especially morally or spiritually
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Why Dictionary.com chose edify
More about edify
- First recorded between 1300鈥�50.
- From the Latin 补别诲颈蹿颈肠腻谤别, meaning “to build;” combines the root aedes, meaning “temple, sanctuary,” + -蹿测虏, meaning “to make.”聽
EXAMPLES OF EDIFY
- The fables about trickster animals were meant to edify people rather than simply entertain them.
- The gallery was curated to edify visitors who came with an open mind.
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