Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2007/September

2007
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1

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Word of the day
for September 1

precocious adj

Characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity.
Exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age

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2

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Word of the day
for September 2

hedonism n

(philosophy): The belief that pleasure or happiness is the highest good in life

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3

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Word of the day
for September 3

sublimate v

(physics): To change state from a solid to a gas (or from a gas to a solid) without passing through the liquid state.
To redirect the natural expression of a sexual or primitive instinct in a socially acceptable activity

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4

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Word of the day
for September 4

caesura n

A a pause or interruption in a poem, music, building or other work of art.
In Classical prosody, using two words to divide a metrical foot

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5

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Word of the day
for September 5

turquoise n

A sky-blue, greenish-blue, or greenish-gray semi-precious gemstone.
A pale greenish-blue colour, like that of the gemstone

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6

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Word of the day
for September 6

cascade v

To fall as a waterfall or series of small waterfalls.
To occur as a causal sequence

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7

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Word of the day
for September 7

haggard adj

Looking exhausted and unwell.
Wild, untamed

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8

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Word of the day
for September 8

predilection n

Condition of favoring or liking; tendency towards; proclivity

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9

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Word of the day
for September 9

benthic adj

Living on the seafloor, as opposed to floating in the ocean

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10

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Word of the day
for September 10

humble v

To bring low; to reduce the power, independence, or exaltation of; to humiliate.
To make meek or lowly in mind; to make submissive

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11

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Word of the day
for September 11

semiotics n

The study of signs and symbols, especially as means of language or communication

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12

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Word of the day
for September 12

monotone n

A single unvaried tone of speech or a sound

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13

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Word of the day
for September 13

fermata n

(music): A notation to hold a note for longer than its usual duration, until the conductor cuts it off

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14

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Word of the day
for September 14

clandestine adj

Done or kept in secret, sometimes to conceal an illicit or improper purpose

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15

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Word of the day
for September 15

cloister n

A covered walk with an open colonnade on one side, running along the walls of buildings that face a quadrangle.
A place, especially a monastery or convent, devoted to religious seclusion

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16

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Word of the day
for September 16

serendipity n

A fortunate occurrence created by unanticipated luck

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17

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Word of the day
for September 15

ingenue n

An innocent, unsophisticated, naive, wholesome girl or young woman

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18

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Word of the day
for September 18

ardor n

Great warmth of feeling; fervor; passion

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19

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Word of the day
for September 19

kinkajou n

A carnivorous mammal of Central America and South America with a long, prehensile tail

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20

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Word of the day
for September 20

memento n

A keepsake; an object kept as a reminder of a place or event

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21

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Word of the day
for September 21

valetudinarian adj

Of infirm health; seeking to recover health; sickly; weakly; infirm

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22

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Word of the day
for September 22

asthenia n

Weakness; loss of strength

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23

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Word of the day
for September 23

paradiorthosis n

A false correction

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24

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Word of the day
for September 24

enticing adj

Anyone or anything which entices, is alluring, attractive or charming

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25

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Word of the day
for September 25

ochlocracy n

Mob rule; government by the masses

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26

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Word of the day
for September 26

zeugma n

The act of using a word, particularly an adjective or verb, to apply to more than one noun when its sense is appropriate to only one or in different ways

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27

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Word of the day
for September 27

dyscalculia n

(pathology) Difficulty in solving mathematical problems

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28

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Word of the day
for September 28

autodidactic adj

Of, relating to, or being self-taught

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29

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Word of the day
for September 29

xenogenetic adj

Being of foreign origin; having originated elsewhere

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30

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Word of the day
for September 30

procrustean adj

Producing or designed to produce strict conformity by ruthless or arbitrary means; marked by arbitrary often ruthless disregard of individual differences or special circumstances

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