Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 13, 2023 is:

apotheosis • \uh-pah-thee-OH-sis\  • noun

Apotheosis means "the perfect form or example of something" or "the highest or best part of something." It can also mean "elevation to divine status; deification ."

// Some consider (however ironically) french fries to be the apotheosis of U.S. cuisine.

// Their music reached its creative apotheosis in the late aughts , which is also when they won two Grammys.

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Examples:

"Having begun 4,000 years ago, as 'strange little rooms in modest Mesopotamian houses' storing cuneiform tablets, libraries reached their Western European apotheosis by the 18th and 19th centuries as grand paneled spaces with fireplaces, ornate ceilings, built-in shelves, hard and soft chairs (for serious and relaxed reading), plush carpets, game tables, maybe a grand piano and secret doors (through which servants discreetly entered to tend fires)." — Julie Lasky, The New York Times , 26 Dec. 2021

Did you know?

Among the ancient Greeks, it was sometimes thought fitting to grant someone "god" status. Hence the word apothéōsis , from the verb apotheóō or apotheoûn , meaning "to deify." (All are rooted in Greek theós , meaning "god," which we can also thank for such religion-related terms as theology and atheism .). There's not a lot of literal apotheosizing to be had in modern English, but apotheosis is thriving in the 21st century. It can refer to the highest or best part of something, as in "the celebration reaches its apotheosis in an elaborate feast," or to a perfect example or ultimate form, as in "a movie that is the apotheosis of the sci-fi genre."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 12, 2023 is:

divulge • \dih-VULJ\  • verb

To divulge something, especially secret or private information, is to make it known.

// Rather than divulge our list of potential names to friends and family before our baby’s due date, we prefer our eventual choice to be a surprise.

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Examples:

“As an unrestricted free agent, [Azurá] Stevens can negotiate with any team when free agency begins in mid-January. She isn’t ready to divulge what her expectations are for her future in the [WNBA] league, but she did say she will be testing the waters.” — Annie Costabile, The Chicago Sun-Times , 10 Dec. 2022

Did you know?

Information divulged is typically secret, or known only to insiders, and it isn't usually shouted from the rooftops. But when divulge first entered English in the 15th century, it did so as a synonym of proclaim : divulging involved declaring or announcing something to the public, a duty of town criers from Lizard Point to Dunnet Head . The word’s source is Latin vulgare , “to make known,” which traces ultimately back to the Latin noun vulgus , meaning “common people” or “mob.” While nowadays divulge can presumably involve blabbing to the rabble , the word usually implies a more careful and considered approach to sharing sensitive information.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 11, 2023 is:

scrupulous • \SKROO-pyuh-lus\  • adjective

Scrupulous means “very careful about doing something correctly.” It can also mean “careful about doing what is honest and morally right.”

// She was always very scrupulous about her work, paying attention to every little detail.

// Less scrupulous companies find ways to evade the law.

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Examples:

“In the Oscar-nominated film ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ a Chinese-American couple (played by Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan) with a failing laundromat face a tax audit, meeting a scrupulous agent (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) at an IRS office to review stacks of business receipts.” — Kate Dore, CNBC , 24 Jan. 2023

Did you know?

People described as “scrupulous” might feel discomfort in anything that challenges their moral sensibilities. Such challenges might present a nagging feeling, much as a sharp pebble in a shoe might nag a walker intent on getting somewhere. And we are getting somewhere. The origin of scrupulous is founded in just such a pebble. Scrupulous and its close relative scruple (“a feeling that prevents you from doing something that you think is wrong”) both come from the Latin noun scrupulus , “a small sharp stone,” the diminutive of scrupus , “a sharp stone.” Scrupus has a metaphorical meaning too: “a source of anxiety or uneasiness.” When the adjective scrupulous entered the English language in the 15th century, it meant “principled,” as in “having moral integrity,” but it now also commonly means “painstaking” or “careful.”

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 10, 2023 is:

factotum • \fak-TOH-tum\  • noun

A factotum is a person who has many diverse activities or responsibilities, and especially one whose work involves a wide variety of tasks.

// After graduating from college, Natalia worked for several years as an office factotum .

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Examples:

"Francesca, one of her former students, works tirelessly as Lydia’s factotum , amanuensis , and personal assistant, in the expectation of becoming her assistant conductor in Berlin." — Richard Brody, The New Yorker , 12 Oct. 2022

Did you know?

"Do everything!" That's a tall order, but it is exactly what a factotum is expected to do. It's also a literal translation of the Latin phrase fac tōtum : the phrase is usually glossed as "do all!" with the punctuation expressing the force behind the command. (Fac is an imperative form of facere , "to make, do," and tōtum means "the whole, entirety.") When it first appeared in English in the mid-16th century, factotum was frequently paired with other words in such phrases as dominus/domine factotum ("lord/lady" factotum), magister factotum ("master" factotum), and Johannes factotum ("John" factotum), all approximate synonyms of the slightly younger term jack-of-all-trades . While in the past factotum could also be synonymous with meddler and busybody , the word today refers to a handy, versatile sort anyone in need of an assistant might hope for.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 9, 2023 is:

ingratiate • \in-GRAY-shee-ayt\  • verb

Ingratiate means “to gain favor or acceptance by deliberate effort.” It is usually used with with , and is often (though not always) used disapprovingly.

// Scam artists often have an uncanny ability to ingratiate themselves with their victims using subtle flattery that only seems obvious in retrospect.

// Although she was nervous to be the new girl in school, Emma quickly ingratiated herself with her classmates through her effortless charm and kind demeanor.

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Examples:

“Harley Quinn is … fast, hilarious, and out of control, yet surprisingly thoughtful. The show’s self-awareness of the DC universe is all-encompassing, and it uses the soul of its characters, the breadth of its history, and its recognizable animated aesthetic to ingratiate itself with its fan base without ever appearing subservient to them.” — Matt Schimkowitz, AV Club , 27 July 2022

Did you know?

When you ingratiate yourself, you put yourself in someone’s good graces in order to gain their approval or favor. While the word ingratiate does not necessarily imply that your behavior is obsequious or otherwise improper, the word may be used disapprovingly by those who distrust your motives. The word entered English in the early 1600s from the combining of the Latin noun gratia , meaning “grace” or “favor,” with the English prefix in- . Gratia comes from the adjective gratus , meaning “pleasing, grateful.” Gratus has, over the centuries, ingratiated itself well with the English language as the ancestor of a whole host of words including gratuitous , congratulate , and grace .

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 8, 2023 is:

cahoots • \kuh-HOOTS\  • plural noun

Cahoots is an informal word that is usually used in the phrase “in cahoots” to describe a partnership or alliance for making or implementing secret plans.

// Though five years apart in age, the two siblings are often in cahoots when it comes to making mischief.

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Examples:

“When a mild-mannered ad man ... is mistaken for a secret agent and finds himself in the crosshairs of a dangerous spy, suspense is a given. Add a romantic entanglement with the epically gorgeous Eva Marie Saint, who might or might not be in cahoots with the spies, and you’ve got [director Alfred] Hitchcock at his tongue-in-cheek best.” — Amy Glynn, Paste Magazine , 16 Nov. 2022

Did you know?

Cahoots is used almost exclusively in the phrase “in cahoots,” which means “in an alliance or partnership.” In most contexts, cahoots describes the conspiring activity of people up to no good. (There’s also the rare expression “go cahoots,” meaning “to enter into a partnership,” as in “they went cahoots on a new restaurant.”) The word’s origins are obscure, but it may come from the French word cahute , meaning “cabin” or “hut,” suggesting the notion of people hidden away working together in secret. Cahute , in turn, is a modification of the word hutte and is believed to have been influenced by cabane , another word for hut and cabin . If you’re wondering about the singular cahoot (it pops up now and again), it has historically been used in the same way as the plural form but has an even more informal ring to it, as in “I reckon that varmint is in cahoot with the devil himself.”

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 7, 2023 is:

laudable • \LAW-duh-bul\  • adjective

Laudable means "worthy of praise," and is a synonym of commendable .

// Thanks to the laudable efforts of dozens of volunteers, the town's Winter Carnival was an enjoyable event for everyone.

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Examples:

"Empowering Black and Indigenous-owned businesses, creating pathways for Black and Indigenous homeownership, and funding scholarships for Black and Indigenous scholars are all laudable aims." — Mary Kay Harris, BostonGlobe.com , 29 Dec. 2022

Did you know?

Let’s have a hearty round of applause for laudable , a word that never fails to celebrate the positive. Laudable comes ultimately from Latin laud - or laus , meaning "praise," as does laudatory . However, the two differ in meaning, and usage commentators warn against using them interchangeably. Laudable means "deserving praise" or "praiseworthy," as in "laudable efforts to help the disadvantaged." Laudatory means "giving praise" or "expressing praise," as in "a laudatory book review." People occasionally use laudatory in place of laudable , but this use is not considered standard.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 6, 2023 is:

vindicate • \VIN-duh-kayt\  • verb

Vindicate means “to show that someone is not guilty.” It can also mean “to show that someone or something that has been criticized or doubted is correct, true, or reasonable.”

// In light of the new evidence, we believe that our client will be completely vindicated .

// Recent volcanic activity on Jupiter's moon Io vindicates astronomers' theories about the geologic makeup of that celestial body.

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Examples:

“Describing Webb Pierce’s ‘There Stands the Glass’ (1953), [Bob] Dylan extrapolates the sad song into something remorselessly bleak: The song’s narrator ‘must justify and vindicate his entire being, he’s been betrayed by politicians back home, forsaken and double crossed.’” — Elizabeth Nelson, The Washington Post , 31 Oct. 2022

Did you know?

It’s hard not to marvel at the rich history of vindicate . Vindicate , which has been used in English since at least the mid-16th century, comes from a form of the Latin verb vindicare , meaning “to set free, avenge, or lay claim to.” Vindicare , in turn, comes from vindex , a noun meaning “claimant ” or “avenger.” Truly, vindex has proven to be an incredible hulk of a word progenitor over the centuries. Other descendants of this “avenger” assembled in English include avenge itself, revenge , vengeance , vendetta , and vindictive .

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 5, 2023 is:

repartee • \rep-er-TEE\  • noun

Repartee can refer to either “a conversation in which clever statements and replies are made quickly” or a single “quick and witty reply.” It can also refer to one’s cleverness and wit in conversation, as in “an aunt widely known for her repartee at family gatherings.”

// The twins’ repartee at the back of the class always cracked up their classmates, though their teacher was rarely amused.

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Examples:

“The language of the play moves between the vernacular and the elevated, informed by the repartee of TV sitcoms as well as by the poetry of William Blake.” — Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker , 19 June 2022

Did you know?

Dorothy Parker was known for her repartee. Upon hearing that former president Calvin Coolidge had died, the poet, short-story writer, screenwriter, and critic—famous for her acerbic wit—replied, “How can they tell?” The taciturn Coolidge, aka “Silent Cal,” obviously didn’t have a reputation for being the life of the party, but he could be counted on for the occasional bon mot , as when a Washington, D.C., hostess told him, “You must talk to me, Mr. President. I made a bet today that I could get more than two words out of you,” and he replied, “You lose.” Repartee , our word for a quick, sharp reply (and for skill with such replies) comes from the French repartie , of the same meaning. Repartie itself is formed from the French verb repartir , meaning “to retort.”

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 4, 2023 is:

proximate • \PRAHK-suh-mut\  • adjective

Proximate is a formal word that is usually used to describe something that comes or happens immediately before or after something in a way that shows a very close and direct relationship. It can also mean "very near" or "happening soon."

// The proximate cause of the student protests was the firing of a popular professor, but there had been murmurings of unrest all year.

// Being physically proximate to such an iconic work of art was surprisingly moving.

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Examples:

"When I first watched 'The Last Unicorn' (a horror movie masquerading as a children's cartoon) at age 8, the image of a naked harpy devouring a witch was burned into my brain, but so was the realization that the conditions that created the harpy also allowed for the unicorn. The existence of horror is inevitably proximate to the existence of wondrous possibility." — Adrienne Celt, The New York Times , 14 June 2022

Did you know?

If you’d like to approach a better understanding of proximate , and an approximation of its history, pull up a chair and get cozy with the history of its etymological proximity to other English words. Proximate comes ultimately from the Latin adjective prope , meaning "near," a source too of approach , reproach , and propinquity . Other close relations of proximate are easier to spot: they include proximity , approximation and approximate .