Merriam-Webster's Daily Buzzword

botch

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 02/09/2010 is:

botch (verb)

\BAHTCH\

What does it mean?

: to make or do something in a clumsy or unskillful way : spoil, bungle

How do you use it?

I really botched my first map—the mountain ranges were in the wrong places—but my second try was a good representation.

Are you a word wiz?

Our writers botched a few sentences using the word "botch." Which of the following do you think uses "botch" correctly?

A. Don't worry about not liking early drafts of your story; you can botch them right into the recycle bin.

B. If you don't botch the turkey every half hour, the meat will be dry and tough.

C. Memorize the joke exactly; if you botch the first part right, the punch line won't work.

D. It's okay if you sometimes argue with your siblings—just be sure to botch things up later.

Check your answer on Word Central.

anomalous

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 02/08/2010 is:

anomalous (adjective)

\uh-NAH-muh-lus\

What does it mean?

: not following a general rule or method

How do you use it?

Her results were inconsistent as expected given her anomalous experiments and irregular methods.

Are you a word wiz?

"Anomalous" traces back to two Greek roots: "an-," meaning "not," and "homalos." What do you think "homalos" means?

A. usual or different

B. even or level

C. human or man-made

D. difficult or disagreeable

Check your answer on Word Central.

gridiron

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 02/07/2010 is:

gridiron (noun)

\GRID-eye-ern\

What does it mean?

1 : something consisting of or covered with a grid

2 : a football field

How do you use it?

On Super Bowl Sunday, my entire family will be glued to the television watching the action on the gridiron.

Are you a word wiz?

Which statement about the history of "gridiron" do you think is true?

A. It developed from a Middle English word meaning "griddle."

B. It was created by combining the words "grid" and "iron."

C. It was the name of the university where football was invented.

D. It comes from the name of a famous football player.

Check your answer on Word Central.

perceptible

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 02/06/2010 is:

perceptible (adjective)

\per-SEP-tuh-bul\

What does it mean?

: capable of being noticed or observed

How do you use it?

Even after Jordan spent an hour organizing his room, there was little perceptible change in its appearance.

Are you a word wiz?

Let your powers of observation lead you to choose a synonym of "perceptible" in the list below.

A. susceptible

B. gullible

C. eligible

D. tangible

Check your answer on Word Central.

petrify

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 02/05/2010 is:

petrify (verb)

\PET-ruh-fye\

What does it mean?

1 : to convert into stone or a stony substance

2 : to paralyze with fear, amazement, or awe

How do you use it?

Dylan was petrified when Midnight, Mrs. Roberts' cat, suddenly jumped into his lap while he was reading "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe.

Are you a word wiz?

"Petrify" developed from the Greek word "petros." Given what we've told you about the meaning of "petrify," what do you think its Greek root means?

A. surprise

B. stillness

C. stone

D. confusion

Check your answer on Word Central.

melancholy

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 02/04/2010 is:

melancholy (noun)

\MEL-un-kah-lee\

What does it mean?

: a sad or gloomy mood or condition

How do you use it?

Carolina's excitement about moving was tinged with melancholy because she knew she would have to leave many friends behind.

Are you a word wiz?

In medieval times, people thought melancholy was caused by one of the organs of the body. Which body part do you think was once considered the root of all gloomy moods?

A. nose

B. kidney

C. stomach

D. lungs

Check your answer on Word Central.

dialect

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 02/03/2010 is:

dialect (noun)

\DYE-uh-lekt\

What does it mean?

1 : a regional variety of a language differing from the standard language

2 : a variety of a language used by the members of a particular group or class

How do you use it?

The name of the pasta we call "macaroni" comes from "maccarone," a word that can mean "dumpling" as well as the tube-shaped pasta in a dialect of Italian.

Are you a word wiz?

Which one of these sentences do you think shows the correct use of "dialect"?

A. Several members of Diedrich's family spoke only an obscure German dialect until they started school.

B. A dialect tracing the company's sales over the period of a year proved that business was declining.

C. Because the disease was mostly found in tropical regions, it took a while for doctors in Europe to dialect it.

D. Ryan's screenplay contains thrilling action scenes, but the dialect between the two main characters falls flat.

Check your answer on Word Central.

blunt

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 02/02/2010 is:

blunt (adjective)

\BLUNT\

What does it mean?

1 : having a thick edge or point : dull

2 : speaking or spoken in plain language without thought for other people's feelings

How do you use it?

After the show Jen, who is always blunt and direct -- never one to hold back her opinion -- declared, "I thought it was a stupid movie."

Are you a word wiz?

There aren't too many English words as old as "blunt." It has been around since the 13th century (800 years ago!). Which of these other words do you think are about the same age as "blunt"?

A. gazelle, giraffe, zebra

B. television, radio, lightbulb

C. armor, fool, pheasant

D. groovy, far-out, peace sign

Check your answer on Word Central.

insurgent

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 02/01/2010 is:

insurgent (noun)

\in-SER-junt\

What does it mean?

: a person who revolts : rebel

How do you use it?

There was speculation that the attack was the work of political insurgents.

Are you a word wiz?

"Insurgent" has a few well-known cousins in English. Which of these groups of words do you think includes relatives of "insurgent"?

A. "insufferable," "suffrage," and "suffer"

B. "surface," "facet," and "refract"

C. "revolt," "rebel," and "rebellion"

D. "resurrection," "source," and "surge"

Check your answer on Word Central.

kaleidoscope

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 01/31/2010 is:

kaleidoscope (noun)

\kuh-LYE-duh-skohp\

What does it mean?

1 : a tube containing loose bits of colored glass or plastic and two mirrors at one end that shows many different patterns as it is turned

2 : a changing pattern or scene

How do you use it?

In her goody bag from Jose's birthday party, Cheyenne found an assortment of candy and toys, including a small kaleidoscope that created many colorful designs.

Are you a word wiz?

The word "kaleidoscope" is made of Greek and English roots. The ending "-scope" is English, but "kaleido-" comes from two Greek roots. What do you think those Greek root words mean?

A. "beautiful form"

B. "bright lights"

C. "broken glass"

D. "dancing colors"

Check your answer on Word Central.

vapid

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 01/30/2010 is:

vapid (adjective)

\VAP-id\

What does it mean?

: being dull or uninteresting

How do you use it?

Mr. Polanski droned on and on about the wonders of washing machines, and his vapid speech nearly put me to sleep.

Are you a word wiz?

"Vapid" comes from an older word that has something to do with food. What do you think the food described by the ancestor of "vapid" was like?

A. very chewy

B. flat-tasting

C. very spicy

D. salty-tasting

Check your answer on Word Central.