Word of the Day

Word of the Day : June 28, 2021 Whilom adjective WYE-lum Definition : former Did you know? Whilom shares an ancestor with the word while. Both trace back to the Old English word hwīl, meaning "time" or "while." In Old English hwīlum was an adverb meaning "at times." This use passed into Middle English (with a variety of spellings, one of which … Continue reading Word of the Day – Whilom

Word of the Day : June 24, 2021 Forswear verb for-SWAIR Definition 1 : to make a liar of (oneself) under or as if under oath 2 a : to reject or renounce under oath b : to renounce earnestly 3 : to deny under oath 4 : to swear falsely Did you know? Forswear (which is also sometimes spelled foreswear) is the modern English … Continue reading Word of the Day – Forswear

Word of the Day : June 23, 2021 Emeritus adjective ih-MEH-ruh-tus Definition 1 : holding after retirement an honorary title corresponding to that held last during active service 2 : retired from an office or position Did you know? In Latin, emeritus was used to describe soldiers who had completed their duty. It is the past participle of the verb emereri, … Continue reading Word of the Day – Emeritus

Miasma noun mye-AZ-muh Definition 1 : a vaporous exhalation formerly believed to cause disease; also : a heavy vaporous emanation or atmosphere 2 : an influence or atmosphere that tends to deplete or corrupt; also : an atmosphere that obscures : fog Did you know? In notes taken during a voyage to South America on the HMS Beagle in the 1830s, Charles Darwin described an illness that he believed was caused by … Continue reading Word of the Day – Miasma