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Why Dictionary.com chose tardigrade
More about tardigrade
- First recorded in 1615–25, combining tardy + -grade2.
- From the Latin tardigradus, meaning “walking slowly.”
EXAMPLES OF TARDIGRADE
- The manager’s tardigrade approach to decision-making often left others impatient.
- The tardigrade recovery of the patient concerned the doctors, as they expected quicker progress.
coagulate
verb
to change from a fluid into a thickened mass; curdle; congeal
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Why Dictionary.com chose coagulate
More about coagulate
- First recorded between 1350–1400, combining coagulum + -ate 1.
- From Old French; directly from the Latin coagulare, “to cause to curdle.”
EXAMPLES OF COAGULATE
- The chef heated the eggs gently, ensuring they wouldn’t coagulate too quickly.
- As the blood began to coagulate, the wound stopped bleeding.
quipu
noun
an ancient Peruvian device used for recording events and accounts
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Why Dictionary.com chose quipu
More about quipu
- First recorded in 1695–1705.
- Borrowed from the Spanish quipu and the Quechua khipu, meaning “knot.”
EXAMPLES OF QUIPU
- The Inca used the quipu, a system of knotted cords, to record agricultural data and census information.
- Experts believe that quipus may have also been used for storytelling, though much of their meaning remains a mystery.
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