Word of the Day
Learn a new word every day! The Dictionary.com team of language experts carefully selects each Word of the Day to add some panache to your vocabulary.
something a person carries around for frequent or regular use
A vade mecum is something you keep close because you rely on it. This Latinate phrase suggests usefulness earned through reliability rather than novelty. Whether it's a notebook, tool, or lucky charm, a vade mecum is defined by how faithfully it stays at your side.
The field guide was her trusted vade mecum on every hiking trip.
to attribute
To ascribe is to assign a cause, quality, or origin to something. The word tends to show up when we're discussing why things happen or where ideas come from, especially when the connection isn't obvious. Keep ascribe handy for nuanced explanations.
We must not ascribe every success solely to luck, but acknowledge hard work.
to write a letter
To epistolize is to put your thoughts into a letter, more likely with intention and care rather than haste. The word has a formal air, evoking careful sentences and a measured tone. When an idea deserves more than a quick message, epistolize feels like the right choice.
She decided to epistolize rather than make a phone call about the complicated billing situation.
a person who insists on doing things in an incorrect way
A mumpsimus is someone who clings to a mistaken way of doing things, even after the error has been pointed out. This silly-sounding word comes from a story about a priest who kept saying the wrong word during Mass. When stubbornness stands in the way of change, you may be dealing with a true mumpsimus.
Even after being corrected, the mumpsimus continued to write "for all intensive purposes" instead of "for all intents and purposes."
of or resembling a tooth
Odontoid describes something that resembles a tooth in shape or function. The word is most often used in anatomy and science, where form is carefully observed and named. When a structure narrows to a pointed, toothlike profile, odontoid fits cleanly.
The unusual bony structure had an odontoid appearance that puzzled the biologists.
