Word of the Day
oolong
noun
a brown or amber tea grown in China and Taiwan and partially fermented before being dried.
More about oolong
Oolong is an adaptation of a Chinese word, most likely Mandarin wūlóng, which literally translates to “black dragon.” The wū element means “crow” or “black,” while lóng means “dragon.” Oolong was first recorded in English in the early 1850s.
EXAMPLE OF OOLONG USED IN A SENTENCE
The oolong let off an earthy smell as it slowly diffused throughout the cup.
oppugn
verb
to assail by criticism, argument, or action.
More about oppugn
Oppugn comes from Latin oppugnāre, “to oppose, attack,” which is based on the noun pugnus, “fist.” Pugnus is the source of numerous fighting-related words in English, including impugn and pugnacious. Oppugn was first recorded in English in the early 15th century.
EXAMPLE OF OPPUGN USED IN A SENTENCE
The neighbors oppugned the dog owner who let their dog run freely around the park for hours.
cranreuch
noun
a covering of minute ice needles, formed at night upon the ground and exposed objects when they have cooled below the dew point, when it is below the freezing point.
More about cranreuch
Cranreuch appears to be an adaptation of Scottish Gaelic crann-reòthadh, “hoarfrost,” which contains crann, “tree,” and reòth, “frost.” Reòth (also reodh) is a distant relative of English freeze and the Latin-origin Word of the Day pruinose. Cranreuch was first recorded in English circa 1680.
EXAMPLE OF CRANREUCH USED IN A SENTENCE
The temperature dropped sharply after dusk, leaving the once wet leaves coated in cranreuch.