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backronym

[ bak-ruh-nim ] [ ˈbæk rə nɪm ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

an existing word turned into an acronym by creating an apt phrase whose initial letters match the word, as to help remember it or offer a theory of its origin.

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Why Dictionary.com chose backronym

More about backronym

  • First recorded in 1980–85.
  • Formed from the word back “toward the rear” and (ac)ronym, “a word formed from the initial letters or groups of letters of words in a set phrase and pronounced as a separate word.”

EXAMPLES OF BACKRONYM

  • Some people believe the word news stands for “notable events, weather, and sports,” but that’s not accurate; it’s a backronym.
  • My neighbor insists that SOS means “Save Our Ship” and wouldn’t believe that people made up that backronym years after SOS was first used.
20240103
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Word of the day

ablution

[ uh-bloo-shuhn ] [ əˈblu ʃən ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a washing of the hands, body, etc.

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Why Dictionary.com chose ablution

More about ablution

  • First recorded around 1350–1400.
  • Comes via Middle English from the Latin stem of ablūtiō, related to abluere (from which comes abluent, “serving to cleanse”).
  • Often used in the plural, ablutions.

EXAMPLES OF ABLUTION

  • As part of his daily routine, he would perform the ablution with reverence and mindfulness, appreciating the ritual’s significance.
  • The sound of running water during ablution brought a sense of calm and tranquility to her morning routine.
20240103
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Word of the day

bafflegab

[ baf-uhl-gab ] [ ˈbæf əlˌgæb ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

confusing or generally unintelligible jargon; gobbledegook.

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Why Dictionary.com chose bafflegab

More about bafflegab

  • First recorded in 1950–55.
  • Formed from the words baffle, “to confuse, bewilder,” and gab, “to talk or chat idly.”
  • It was possibly invented by American lawyer Milton A. Smith.

EXAMPLES OF BAFFLEGAB

  • As a beginner in the field, I found the technical manual to be full of bafflegab that made learning difficult.
  • The company’s financial report was so laden with bafflegab that even seasoned analysts struggled to make sense of it.
20240103
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