Word of the Day
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Why Dictionary.com chose bedevil
More about bedevil
- Bedevil, in the featured sense, was first recorded in 1760-70.
- It was formed from be- (an older prefix for forming verbs) and devil, which was first recorded before 900 and came from Late Latin diabolus.
- Diabolus itself came from Greek diábolos, “slanderer,” which came from diabállein, “to assault someone’s character,” or literally “to throw across.”
EXAMPLES OF BEDEVIL
- The complex math problem bedeviled the students, leaving them puzzled and uncertain about the correct solution.
- The persistent technical glitches in the computer program bedeviled the developers, making it difficult for them to meet their deadline.
brouhaha
noun
excited public interest, discussion, or the like, as the clamor attending some sensational event.
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Why Dictionary.com chose brouhaha
More about brouhaha
- Brouhaha was first recorded in English around 1885-90.
- It comes from the French phrase brou, ha, ha!, which was an exclamation used by characters representing the devil in 16th-century French drama.
- Brouhaha perhaps originally comes from a distortion of the Hebrew recited phrase bārūkh habbā (beshēm ădōnai), which means “blessed is he who comes (in the name of the Lord)” from Psalms 118:26.
EXAMPLES OF BROUHAHA
- The brouhaha surrounding the controversial film reached its peak with protesters gathering outside the theater.
- Social media erupted in a brouhaha when a celebrity made an offhand comment, sparking a heated online argument.
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Why Dictionary.com chose vamoose
More about vamoose
- Vamoose comes from the Spanish word vamos, meaning “let’s go.” It’s the command form of the verb ir, “to go.”
- Vamoose was first recorded in English around 1830-40.
- Other, more common, words that we get from Spanish include alligator, tornado, and mosquito.
EXAMPLES OF VAMOOSE
- The sound of thunder approaching made the campers quickly pack up their belongings and vamoose before the storm hit.
- As soon as the police arrived, the suspects had no choice but to vamoose from the scene of the crime.
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