WotD Archives – January 2012

January 31st, 2012

Idoneous /ahy-DOH-nee-uhs/
adjective
1. Appropriate; fit; suitable; apt.

January 30th, 2012

Neoterism /nee-OT-uh-riz-uhm/
noun
1. An innovation in language, as a new word, term, or expression.
2. The use of new words, terms, or expressions.

January 26th, 2012

Schlep /SHLEP/
verb
1. Haul or carry (something heavy or awkward).

January 25th, 2012

Pseudonym /SOOD-uh-nim/
noun
1. A fictitious name, especially a pen name used by an author.

January 24th, 2012

Apathetic /ap-uh-THET-ik/
adjective
1. Having or showing little or no emotion.
2. Not interested or concerned; indifferent or unresponsive.

January 23rd, 2012

Myriad /MIR-ee-uhd/
noun
1. A very great or indefinitely great number of persons or things.
adjective
1. Of an indefinitely great number; innumerable.
2. Having innumerable phases, aspects, variations, etc.

January 19th, 2012

Venial /VEE-nee-uhl/
adjective
1. Minor; easily excused.

January 17th, 2012

Sagacity /suh-GAS-i-tee/
noun
1. Keen judgment or wisdom.

January 13th, 2012

Thole /THOHL/
verb
1. Endure.

January 12th, 2012

Avarice /AV-er-is/
noun
1. Insatiable greed for riches; inordinate, miserly desire to gain and hoard wealth.

January 11th, 2012

Expostulate /ik-SPOS-chuh-leyt/
verb
1. To reason earnestly with someone against something that person intends to do or has done.

January 10th, 2012

Paregmenon /puh-REG-muh-non/
noun
1. The juxtaposition of words that have a common derivation, as in “sense and sensibility.”

January 9th, 2012

Synergy /SYN-er-jee/
noun
1. Combined action or functioning; synergism.
2. The cooperative action of two or more muscles, nerves, or the like.
3. The cooperative action of two or more stimuli or drugs.

January 6th, 2012

Innocuous /ih-NOK-yoo-uhs/
adjective
1. Not harmful or injurious; harmless.
2. Not likely to irritate or offend; inoffensive.
3. Not interesting, stimulating, or significant; pallid; insipid.

January 5th, 2012

Epithet /EP-uh-thet/
noun
1. A characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing.
2. A disparaging or abusive word or phrase.
3. The part of a taxonomic name identifying a subordinate unit within a genus.

January 4th, 2012

Eclectic /ih-KLEK-tik/
adjective
1. Selecting or choosing from various sources.
2. Made up of what is selected from different sources.
3. Not following any one system, as of philosophy, medicine, etc., but selecting and using what are considered the best elements of all systems.

January 3rd, 2012

Solecism /SOL-uh-siz-uhm/
noun
1. A breach of good manners or etiquette.
2. A nonstandard or ungrammatical usage, as “unflammable” and “they was.”
3. Any error, impropriety, or inconsistency.