Merriam-Webster's Daily Buzzword

synopsis

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 03/18/2010 is:

synopsis (noun)

\suh-NAHP-sis\

What does it mean?

: a brief statement or outline (as of a story)

How do you use it?

At the video store Rick complained about his bad luck with choosing movies, yet he refused to read the synopsis of Life is Like a Doorbell before he rented it.

Are you a word wiz?

"Synopsis" traces back to the Greek word "synopsesthai," a combination of "syn," meaning "together" and "opsesthia." What do you think "opsesthia" means?

A. to be going to see

B. to be going to hear

C. to be going to read

D. to be going to write

Check your answer on Word Central.

penetrate

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 03/17/2010 is:

penetrate (verb)

\PEN-uh-trayt\

What does it mean?

1 a : to pass into or through b : to enter by piercing

2 : to come to understand

3 : to move deeply

How do you use it?

Some dog breeds, such as the Newfoundland, have thick, oily coats, which icy water cannot penetrate.

Are you a word wiz?

Which one of these do you think is a synonym of "penetrate"?

A. decorate

B. enter

C. conceal

D. release

Check your answer on Word Central.

garner

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 03/16/2010 is:

garner (verb)

\GAHR-ner\

What does it mean?

1 : to gather in and store

2 a : to acquire by effort : earn b : to gather up or pile up, especially little by little : amass, collect

How do you use it?

Natalie felt she could have played better, but her performance on the cello was good enough to garner praise from several music critics.

Are you a word wiz?

The word "garner" is related to the name of a crop that's raised for food. Which one of these do you think that is?

A. grapes

B. grain

C. ginger

D. garlic

Check your answer on Word Central.

clamber

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 03/15/2010 is:

clamber (verb)

\KLAM-ber\

What does it mean?

: to climb awkwardly

How do you use it?

"Tess had clambered on to Matthias's lap and fallen asleep, whereupon baby Tim did likewise in the velvety fur of Cornflower." (Brian Jacques, Redwall)

Are you a word wiz?

Which of these structures, ripe for clambering, were being built when "clamber" first entered the language?

A. Great Pyramid at Giza (2600 BC)

B. Hadrian's Wall (ca. 130AD)

C. Leaning Tower of Pisa (mid- to late 1300s)

D. Eiffel Tower (late 1800s)

Check your answer on Word Central.

obstinate

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 03/14/2010 is:

obstinate (adjective)

\AHB-stuh-nut\

What does it mean?

1 : sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion

2 : not easily overcome or removed

How do you use it?

All the experts said it was a fake, but Morgan and his family were obstinate in the belief that their painting was a genuine Picasso.

Are you a word wiz?

There are several other English words that mean almost the same thing as "obstinate." Which of the following words do you think could be used in place of "obstinate"?

A. stubborn

B. helpful

C. talented

D. excited

Check your answer on Word Central.

terrier

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 03/13/2010 is:

terrier (noun)

\TEH-ree-er\

What does it mean?

: any of various usually small dogs originally used by hunters to drive game animals from their holes

How do you use it?

Jennifer's little dog Zoe behaves like a typical terrier, chasing every squirrel that runs across her path.

Are you a word wiz?

"Terrier" can be traced back to "terra," a Latin word that is also the root of several other English words. What do you think "terra" means?

A. dog

B. barker

C. nose

D. earth

Check your answer on Word Central.

pedestrian

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 03/12/2010 is:

pedestrian (adjective)

\puh-DESS-tree-un\

What does it mean?

1 : not interesting : ordinary

2 a : going on foot b : of, relating to, or designed for walking

How do you use it?

Apples and oranges are pedestrian compared to the unusual and interesting star fruit and Ugli fruit.

Are you a word wiz?

"Pedestrian" walked a path from a Latin root meaning "foot" into English. Several other words also took this path. See if you can spot one of them in the list below.

A. walk

B. impede

C. pester

D. depend

Check your answer on Word Central.

obligate

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 03/11/2010 is:

obligate (verb)

\AH-bluh-gayt\

What does it mean?

: to make (someone) do something by law or because it is right

How do you use it?

If you promised you would be there you are obligated to go.

Are you a word wiz?

At the root of "obligate" we find the Latin word "ligare." What do you think "ligare" means?

A. to bend, to stretch

B. to bawl, to cry

C. to bind, to tie

D. to blend, to mix

Check your answer on Word Central.

plastic

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 03/10/2010 is:

plastic (adjective)

\PLASS-tik\

What does it mean?

1 : capable of being molded or modeled

2 : marked by or using modeling

3 : made or consisting of a plastic

How do you use it?

The curator turned the museum's collection of plastic art into a wonderful panoply that attracted worldwide interest.

Are you a word wiz?

Our example sentence uses three words, "curator," "panoply," and "worldwide," that entered English around the same time that the adjective "plastic" did. About when do you think these words all first started appearing in English?

A. in the 1500s

B. in the early 1600s

C. in the mid 1700s

D. in the late 1800s

Check your answer on Word Central.

spoof

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 03/09/2010 is:

spoof (verb)

\SPOOF\

What does it mean?

: to make good-natured fun of

How do you use it?

Amanda's favorite book is a very funny novel that spoofs mystery novels.

Are you a word wiz?

The verb "spoof" didn't always have the meaning it usually has today. Which of the following do you think is the original meaning of "spoof"?

A. to falter or stumble

B. to confuse or confound

C. to deceive or hoax

D. to accuse or blame

Check your answer on Word Central.

vernacular

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Buzzword of the Day for 03/08/2010 is:

vernacular (noun)

\ver-NAK-yuh-ler\

What does it mean?

1 : ordinary spoken language rather than literary language

2 : a common name of a plant or animal in contrast to its taxonomic name

How do you use it?

Mark Twain and John Steinbeck are two American authors whose characters' use of the vernacular gives a realistic feeling to the stories.

Are you a word wiz?

"Vernacular" traces back to the Latin word "verna," which referred to something quite common in ancient Rome. What do you think that was?

A. a piece of sculpture

B. a household servant

C. a temple

D. a toga

Check your answer on Word Central.