Word of the Day
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.
littoral
adjective
of or relating to the shore of a lake, sea, or ocean.
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Why Dictionary.com chose littoral
More about littoral
- Littoral was first recorded in 1650–60.
- Littoral comes from Latin lītorālis “of the shore.”
- Also related to littoral are Lido, a chain of sandy islands in northeastern Italy, and its common noun lido, a fashionable beach resort.
EXAMPLES OF LITTORAL
- The littoral region is teeming with diverse marine life, from colorful fish to magnificent coral reefs.
- Many coastal cities rely on tourism as a major source of income, attracting visitors with their picturesque littoral landscapes.
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