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Vocabulary

Today's Word "effrontery"

Insulting presumptuousness on Jan 13, 2026

effrontery \ih-FRUN-tuh-ree\ (noun) - Insulting presumptuousness; shameless boldness; insolence.

"Passionately she sang of Yoshitsune, her love and yearning for him, and her joy that he had successfully managed to evade his evil half-brother Yoritomo. Yoritomo was torn between rage at such effrontery and pleasure at the exquisite beauty of her voice." -- Lesley Downer, 'Women of the Pleasure Quarters'

Effrontery is from French effronterie , ultimately from Late Latin effrons , effront- , "shameless," literally "without forehead" (to blush with), from Latin ex- , "out of" + frons , front- , "forehead."

More Vocabulary

Today's Word "parse"

Vocabulary / January 12, 2026

parse \PAHRS\ (transitive verb) - 1 : To resolve (as a sentence) into its component parts of speech with an explanation of the form, function, and syntactical relationship of each part. 2 : To describe grammatically by ...Read More

Today's Word "wayworn"

Vocabulary / January 11, 2026

wayworn \WAY-worn\ (adjective) - Wearied by traveling.

"These beautiful and verdant recesses, running through and softening the rugged mountains, were cheering and refreshing to the wayworn travellers." -- Washington ...Read More

Today's Word "vitiate"

Vocabulary / January 10, 2026

vitiate \VISH-ee-ayt\ (transitive verb) - 1 : To make faulty or imperfect; to render defective; to impair; as, "exaggeration vitiates a style of writing." 2 : To corrupt morally; to debase. 3 : To render ineffective; as, "...Read More

Today's Word "bombast"

Vocabulary / January 09, 2026

bombast \BOM-bast\ (noun) - Pompous or pretentious speech or writing.

"He especially loved pro wrestling shows, where he learned the importance of bombast , and how to immobilize a larger opponent." -- John Brady, 'Bad ...Read More

Today's Word "disconsolate"

Vocabulary / January 08, 2026

disconsolate \dis-KON-suh-lut\ (adjective) - 1 : Being beyond consolation; deeply dejected and dispirited; hopelessly sad; filled with grief; as, "a bereaved and disconsolate parent." 2 ": Inspiring dejection; saddening; ...Read More

Today's Word "furtive"

Vocabulary / January 07, 2026

furtive \FUR-tiv\ (adjective) - 1 : Done by stealth; surreptitious; secret; as, a furtive look. 2 : Expressive of stealth; sly; shifty; sneaky. 3 : Stolen; obtained by stealth. 4 : Given to stealing; thievish; pilfering.