Merriam-Webster's Daily Buzzword

amorphous

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 11/20/2009 is:

amorphous (adjective)

\uh-MOR-fus\

What does it mean?

: having no fixed form

How do you use it?

An amorphous cloud of smoke billowed up from the campfire and rose into the starry night sky.

Are you a word wiz?

We get the word "amorphous" from the Greek prefix "a-" and the Greek word "morphe." What do you think "morphe" means?

A. substance

B. shape

C. origin

D. size

Check your answer on Word Central.

evocative

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 11/19/2009 is:

evocative (adjective)

\ih-VAH-kuh-tiv\

What does it mean?

: having the power to evoke an especially emotional response

How do you use it?

The painting was evocative of the isolation of the remote coastal community.

Are you a word wiz?

Which word do you think is a related to "evocative"?

A. voice

B. revolution

C. pivot

D. survivor

Check your answer on Word Central.

meteor

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 11/18/2009 is:

meteor (noun)

\MEE-tee-er\

What does it mean?

: one of the small bodies of matter in the solar system observable when it falls into the earth's atmosphere where the heat of friction may cause it to glow brightly for a short time; also : the streak of light produced by the passage of a meteor

How do you use it?

"Out of the west leaped a meteor, lighting the roof of the skyscraper almost to midday." (O. Henry, "Psyche and the Pskyscraper")

Are you a word wiz?

Meteors come from outer space, but the word "meteor" comes from right here on Earth. Which language do you think "meteor" came from originally?

A. Chinese

B. Spanish

C. Sanskrit

D. Greek

Check your answer on Word Central.

contort

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 11/17/2009 is:

contort (verb)

\kun-TORT\

What does it mean?

: to twist into an unusual appearance or unnatural shape

How do you use it?

Randy contorted his face into different silly expressions to entertain the little kids.

Are you a word wiz?

"Contort" traces back to the Latin word "torquere," meaning "to twist." Which of the following words do you think is also related to "torquere"?

A. antique

B. total

C. cloak

D. torch

Check your answer on Word Central.

groggy

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 11/16/2009 is:

groggy (adjective)

\GRAH-ghee\

What does it mean?

: weak and unsteady on the feet or in action

How do you use it?

Britney is always so groggy on Monday mornings that she stumbles around the house as if still asleep, tripping and dropping things everywhere.

Are you a word wiz?

"Groggy" developed from a nickname that British sailors in the 1700s used for one of their admirals. All of the terms below except one also come from nicknames. Which one do you think does NOT come from a nickname?

A. teddy bear

B. bobby pin

C. namby-pamby

D. smart aleck

Check your answer on Word Central.

wheedle

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 11/15/2009 is:

wheedle (verb)

\WEE-dul\

What does it mean?

1 : to get (someone) to think or act a certain way by flattering or coaxing

2 : to gain or get by coaxing or flattering

How do you use it?

"He has a tongue that could wheedle a bird out of a tree." (Harriet Beecher Stowe, Oldtown Folks)

Are you a word wiz?

We know you're smart enough to get this one right, so give it a try! Which of the following words is a synonym of "wheedle"?

A. whittle

B. criticize

C. cajole

D. waffle

Check your answer on Word Central.

bogus

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 11/14/2009 is:

bogus (adjective)

\BOH-gus\

What does it mean?

: not genuine : spurious, sham

How do you use it?

Since the trading card didn't have a silver Japanese symbol in the lower left-hand corner, Michael knew it must be bogus.

Are you a word wiz?

Not long ago, lots of kids used "bogus" as a slang word. But how old do you think the word "bogus" really is?

A. about 2000 years old

B. about 200 years old

C. about 20 years old

D. about 2 years old

Check your answer on Word Central.

triskaidekaphobia

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 11/13/2009 is:

triskaidekaphobia (noun)

\tris-kye-dek-uh-FOH-bee-uh\

What does it mean?

: fear of the number 13

How do you use it?

Lewis was very nervous on Friday the 13th, especially since he suffered from triskaidekaphobia and couldn't even say the number 13 without great effort.

Are you a word wiz?

"Triskaidekaphobia" comes from the Greek words for "thirteen" ("treiskaideka") and "fear" ("phobia"). Three of the answers listed below name known phobias, but one is made-up. Which answer do you think names the made-up fear?

A. "ailurophobia," or the fear of cats

B. "ideophobia," or the fear of ideas

C. "tallophobia," or the fear of eating greasy food

D. "neophobia," or the fear of new things

Check your answer on Word Central.

suffrage

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 11/12/2009 is:

suffrage (noun)

\SUFF-rij\

What does it mean?

: the right of voting; also : the exercise of such right

How do you use it?

November 12, 1815 was the birthday of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who worked beside Susan B. Anthony as a leader in the movement for women's suffrage.

Are you a word wiz?

Nowadays, "suffrage" is often associated with voting, but it also has another meaning. In the 1600s, a writer used that other meaning when he noted that a chapel was only for "private or secret suffrages." Judging from that quotation, what do you think the other meaning of "suffrage" is?

A. pledge

B. meeting

C. gift

D. prayer

Check your answer on Word Central.

itinerant

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 11/11/2009 is:

itinerant (adjective)

\eye-TIN-uh-runt\

What does it mean?

: traveling from place to place

How do you use it?

In the novel "Don Quixote," the hero mistakes the shaving basin belonging to an itinerant barber for the golden helmet of a mythical king.

Are you a word wiz?

The origin of the word "itinerant" goes back to "iter," a word the ancient Romans used for something that was used when traveling. What do you think "iter" refers to?

A. a road

B. a suitcase

C. a wagon

D. a horse

Check your answer on Word Central.

hesitant

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 11/10/2009 is:

hesitant (adjective)

\HEZ-uh-tunt\

What does it mean?

: showing indecision, uncertainty, or unwillingness

How do you use it?

Doug was hesitant to accept the nomination for class president because it came as such a surprise.

Are you a word wiz?

"Hesitant" has several synonyms and one of them is in the list below. Don't be hesitant -- just try to choose the word you think is most likely to mean something similar to "hesitant."

A. dainty

B. reluctant

C. ferocious

D. boastful

Check your answer on Word Central.