Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster
Free daily dose of word power from Merriam-Webster's experts
tawdry
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 18, 2024 is: tawdry \TAW-dree\ adjective Something described as tawdry is cheap and gaudy in appearance or quality. Tawdry is also often used to describe something considered morally bad or distasteful, as in "a tawdry tale of political [skulduggery](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skulduggery)." // Tawdry decorations cluttered the tiny house. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tawdry) Examples: "Chicago boasts a deep bench of architectural talent to make a [pedestrianized](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pedestrianize) State Street a success, whether with a modernist, traditional or some new-fangled flavor. In contrast, the old pedestrian mall was tacky, aping a tawdry suburban mall." — Craig Barner, The Chicago Sun-Times, 21 Aug. 2023 Did you know? In the 7th century, Etheldreda, the queen of [Northumbria](https://www.britannica.com/place/Northumbria), renounced her husband and her royal position in order to become a nun. She was renowned for her saintliness and is said to have died of a swelling in her throat, which she took as a judgment upon her fondness for wearing necklaces in her youth. Her shrine became a principal site of pilgrimage in England. An annual fair was held in her honor on October 17th, and her name became simplified to St. Audrey. At these fairs various kinds of cheap knickknacks were sold, along with a type of necklace called St. Audrey's lace, which by the 16th century had become altered to tawdry lace. Eventually, tawdry came to be used to describe anything cheap and gaudy that might be found at these fairs or anywhere else.
Mar 17
2 min
blarney
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 17, 2024 is: blarney \BLAR-nee\ noun Blarney refers to false but charming talk that often flatters the listener. // The bartender laughingly asked her [gregarious](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gregarious) patron if anyone ever believed his blarney. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blarney) Examples: “Some tales are mundane, like the song about Molly Malone: ‘In Dublin fair city, the girls are so pretty …’ Did such a woman ever exist? There’s a record of a Mary Malone who lived (and died) in the 17th century. She was likely both a fishmonger and a lady of the night. … Some tales are blarney. Blarney Castle dates to 1446, and there’s a slab of carboniferous limestone near the top. It’s said to be the stone used by Jacob as a pillow when he dreamt of a ladder to heaven. Others say Clíodhna, Queen of the Banshees, told Cormac Laidir MacCarthy to kiss the stone so he would be eloquent when defending his home in the court of Queen Elizabeth.” — Kevin Fisher-Paulson, The San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2023 Did you know? The [village of Blarney](https://www.britannica.com/place/Blarney-Ireland) in County Cork, Ireland, is home to Blarney Castle, and in the southern wall of that edifice lies the famous Blarney Stone. Legend has it that anyone who kisses the Blarney Stone will gain the gift of skillful flattery, but that gift must be attained at the price of some limber maneuvering—you have to lie down and hang your head over a precipice to reach and kiss the stone. One story claims the word blarney gained popularity as a word for “flattery” after Queen Elizabeth I of England used it to describe the flowery (but apparently less than honest) [cajolery](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cajolery) of McCarthy Mor, who was then the lord of Blarney Castle.
Mar 16
2 min
querulous
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 16, 2024 is: querulous \KWAIR-yuh-lus\ adjective Someone described as querulous is constantly or habitually complaining. Querulous can also be used synonymously with fretful or whining when describing something, such as a person's tone of voice. // She shows an impressive amount of patience when dealing with querulous customers. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/querulous) Examples: "Everyone has a theory about the decline of the Academy Awards, the sinking ratings that have led to endless Oscar reinventions. The show is too long; no, the show is too desperate to pander to short attention spans. … Hollywood makes too many superhero movies; no, the academy doesn’t nominate enough superhero movies. (A querulous voice from the back row: Why can’t they just bring back Billy Crystal?)" — Ross Douthat, The New York Times, 25 Mar. 2022 Did you know? English speakers have called fretful whiners querulous since late medieval times. The Middle English form of the word, querelose, was an adaptation of the Latin adjective, querulus, which in turn evolved from the Latin verb queri, meaning "to complain." Queri is also an ancestor of the English words [quarrel](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarrel) and [quarrelsome](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarrelsome), but it isn't an ancestor of the noun [query](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/query), meaning "question." No need to complain that we're being coy; we're happy to let you know that query descends from the Latin verb quaerere, meaning "to ask."
Mar 15
2 min
hegemony
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 15, 2024 is: hegemony \hih-JEM-uh-nee\ noun Hegemony refers to influence or control over another country, group of people, etc. // The two nations have for centuries struggled for regional hegemony. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hegemony) Examples: “Beyond Hollywood’s scrambled economics, one of the biggest threats to its hegemony is social media—TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X-formerly-known-as-Twitter—with which it has always had an uncomfortable relationship, alternately its victim or master.” — Peter Biskind, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2024 Did you know? Hegemony refers to a kind of domination. It was borrowed in the mid-16th century from the Greek word hēgemonia, a noun formed from the verb hēgeisthai, “to lead.” At first hegemony was used specifically to refer to the control once wielded by ancient Greek states; later it was applied to domination by other political actors. By the 19th century, the word had acquired a second sense referring to the social or cultural influence wielded by a dominant entity over others of its kind, a sense employed by design scholar Joshua Langman when describing the use of [found objects](https://bit.ly/4bCWEMs) by French artist [Marcel Duchamp](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marcel-Duchamp) (he of notorious [readymade](https://bit.ly/3wgcvQS) Fountain fame) as a means “to question and criticize the values of the artistic hegemony by [eschewing](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eschew) craft entirely.”
Mar 14
1 min
emulate
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 14, 2024 is: emulate \EM-yuh-layt\ verb If you emulate someone or something, you try to be like that person or thing. The word is used especially when one is trying to equal or surpass someone in accomplishment or achievement. // She grew up emulating her sports heroes. // Younger children will often try to emulate the behavior of their older siblings. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emulate) Examples: “In the present era, [stanning](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stan) has become a regular part of pop and online culture. Online communities celebrate, praise, and emulate music stars such as Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Cardi B, and Megan Thee Stallion.” — Daric L. Cottingham, Essence, 15 Feb. 2023 Did you know? They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but we’ll posit that emulation is even more so. What’s the difference between imitating and emulating? Sometimes not a thing: emulate can be used as a synonym of imitate, as in “a painter who emulates her teacher’s style.” But more often, emulate is about trying to equal or surpass someone you admire by striving to master what they’ve accomplished. The word was adopted in the late 16th century from a form of the Latin word aemulārī, meaning “to vie with; to rival; to imitate.” Imitate was adopted about fifty years earlier from a form of the Latin word imitārī, meaning “to follow as a pattern; to copy.” Emulate emulated its success.
Mar 13
1 min
cacophony
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 13, 2024 is: cacophony \ka-KAH-fuh-nee\ noun A cacophony is a mixture of loud and usually harsh unpleasant sounds. Cacophony can also refer to an incongruous or chaotic mixture. // The sounds of shouting added to the cacophony on the streets. // A cacophony of aromas wafted through the air. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cacophony) Examples: "In recent years, an array of findings have also revealed an expansive nonhuman soundscape, including: turtles that produce and respond to sounds to coordinate the timing of their birth from inside their eggs; coral larvae that can hear the sounds of healthy reefs; and plants that can detect the sound of running water and the munching of insect predators. Researchers have found intention and meaning in this cacophony, such as the purposeful use of different sounds to convey information." — Sonia Shah, The New York Times, 20 Sept. 2023 Did you know? If you’re hooked on [phonetics](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phonetics), you may know that the Greek word phōnḗ has made a great deal of noise in English. Cacophony comes from a joining of phōnḗ ("sound" or "voice") with the Greek prefix kak- (from kakos, meaning "bad"), so it essentially means "bad sound." Other [phat](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phat) phōnḗ descendants include [symphony](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/symphony), a word that indicates harmony or agreement in sound; [polyphony](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polyphony), referring to a style of musical composition in which two or more independent melodies are juxtaposed in harmony; and [euphony](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/euphony), a word for a pleasing or sweet sound. Kakos is responsible for far fewer English words, but one notable descendent is [kakistocracy](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kakistocracy), meaning "government by the worst people," which, we'll be honest, doesn't sound great.
Mar 12
2 min
ulterior
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 12, 2024 is: ulterior \ul-TEER-ee-er\ adjective Ulterior describes things (usually motives, objectives, reasons, agendas, etc.) that are kept hidden in order to achieve a particular result. // Rory found it hard to not be suspicious of the accountant for offering these services for free; her eagerness to help suggested she has an ulterior motive. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ulterior) Examples: "Disney's most recent incarnation of depravity is also one of their more sinister: the smiling nice guy who turns out to be anything but that. Frozen, in fact, received a little flack from mommy bloggers in 2013 due to this choice, with some expressing apprehension about showing children that kindly adults could be hiding ulterior motives. Yet we’d argue that is what makes Hans such an effective villain and early demonstration to children of the fact that folks may not be what they appear." — David Crow, Den of Geek, 4 Nov. 2023 Did you know? Although now usually hitched to the front of the noun [motive](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motive ) to refer to [a hidden need or desire](https://bit.ly/3IdYLJj) that inspires action, ulterior began its career as an adjective in the 17th century describing something occurring at a subsequent time, such as "ulterior measures" taken after a lawful request. It then started to be used to mean both "more distant" (literally and figuratively) and "situated on the farther side." The "hidden" sense, which is most familiar today, followed after those, with the word modifying nouns like [purpose](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purpose), [design](https://bit.ly/3OCpUZW), and [consequence](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consequence). Ulterior comes directly from the Latin word for "farther" or "further," itself assumed to be from ulter, meaning "situated beyond."
Mar 11
2 min
refurbish
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 11, 2024 is: refurbish \rih-FER-bish\ verb To refurbish something is to brighten or freshen it up, or to repair and make improvements to it. // They are refurbishing the old house with the hopes of selling it for a profit. // The store refurbishes and sells computers that can often meet the needs of those who don't need the latest technology. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refurbish) Examples: "The city of San Diego is tasked with completing the building and replanting the interior plants, which are currently in storage. Meanwhile, the city’s not-for-profit partner Forever Balboa Park is responsible for financing and completing phase-two improvements. Those include remaking the exterior gardens, improving walkways, reconstructing the pergola that was on the west lawn and refurbishing the fountains." — Jennifer Van Grove, The San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2024 Did you know? As seems proper given how English prefixes work, before you could refurbish something you could [furbish](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furbish) it. That shorter word was borrowed into Middle English in the 14th century from Anglo-French as furbisshen; it shares a distant relative with the Old High German verb furben, meaning "to polish." In its earliest uses furbish also meant "to polish," but it developed an extended sense of "to renovate" shortly before English speakers created refurbish with the same meaning in the 17th century. These days refurbish is the more common of the two words, although furbish does continue to be used.
Mar 10
1 min
obeisance
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 10, 2024 is: obeisance \oh-BEE-sunss\ noun Obeisance is a synonym of [homage](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homage) that refers to an acknowledgement of another’s importance or superiority. Obeisance can also mean “a movement of the body (such as a bow) showing respect for someone or something.” // The young singer paid obeisance to [Otis Redding](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Otis-Redding) while on tour in Memphis by singing “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay.” [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obeisance) Examples: “Supreme Court rules establish specific guidelines by which these conferences must be conducted. But compliance is rare, and they are usually held in secret and undocumented. The clandestine nature of 402 proceedings conflicts with the judiciary’s general obeisance to concepts of transparency and public accountability in criminal cases.” — Jim Dey, The News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana, Illinois), 3 Oct. 2023 Did you know? When it first appeared in English in the 14th century, obeisance shared the same meaning as [obedience](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obedience). This makes sense given that obeisance can be traced back to the Anglo-French word obeir, a verb meaning “to obey” that is also an ancestor of English’s [obey](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obey). The other senses of obeisance also date from the 14th century, but they have stood the test of time whereas the “obedience” sense is now obsolete... or is it? Recent evidence suggests that obeisance is starting to be used again as an (often disparaging) synonym of obedience; for example, a politician deemed too easily swayed by others may be said to have pledged obeisance to party leaders or [malign](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malign) influences.
Mar 9
2 min
germane
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 9, 2024 is: germane \jer-MAYN\ adjective Germane is a formal synonym of [relevant](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relevant) that describes something related to a subject in an appropriate way. // Her comments were not germane to the discussion. // While these facts about the witness may interest the jury, they are not in fact germane. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/germane) Examples: “Corporate retreats aren’t just for fun and games; they are for tackling germane issues that are critical to the success of any such organization.” — Abiola Salami, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023 Did you know? “Wert thou a Leopard, thou wert Germane to the Lion.” So wrote William Shakespeare in his five-act tragedy [Timon of Athens](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Timon-of-Athens), using an old (and now-obsolete) sense of germane meaning “closely akin.” Germane comes to us from the Middle English word germain, meaning “having the same parents.” (An early noun sense of germane also referred specifically to children of the same parents.) Today, something said to be germane is figuratively “related” in that it is relevant or fitting to something else, as when music critic Amanda Petrusich wrote of an album by [the Chicks](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dixie-Chicks): “‘Gaslighter’ is brasher and more pop-oriented than anything the band has done before. Part of this shift feels germane to our era—the idea of genre, as it applies to contemporary music, is growing less and less relevant—but it also feels like a final repudiation of country music, and of a community that mostly failed to support or to understand one of its biggest acts.”
Mar 8
1 min