Word of the Day
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Why Dictionary.com chose capriole
More about capriole
- First recorded around 1570–80.
- Comes from Middle French via the Italian word capriola, which is the noun derivative of capriolare, “to leap, caper.”
- Capriolare derived from the Latin word capreolus, equivalent to capre(a), “roe deer.”
EXAMPLES OF CAPRIOLE
- Watching the young deer execute a playful capriole in the meadow brought a smile to my face.
- The acrobat soared through the air with a graceful capriole before landing flawlessly on the platform.
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Why Dictionary.com chose salmagundi
More about salmagundi
- First recorded around 1665–75.
- Comes from the Middle French word salmingondin.
- Salmingondin is a compound based on salemine, “salted food” (from which we get salami) and condir, “to season” (from which we get condiment).
EXAMPLES OF SALMAGUNDI
- Our family reunion turned into a lively salmagundi of stories, jokes, and memories shared around the bonfire.
- Her jewelry box contained a colorful salmagundi of beads, gemstones, and trinkets.
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Why Dictionary.com chose hugger-mugger
More about hugger-mugger
- First recorded in 1520–30.
- An earlier form was hucker-mucker, a rhyming compound based on mucker.
- Mucker comes from the Middle English word mokeren, “to hoard.”
- Hugger-mugger can be a noun and verb, too.
EXAMPLES OF HUGGER-MUGGER
- The spy communicated with her handler in a hugger-mugger manner to avoid detection.
- The meeting was very hugger-mugger, with everyone whispering and looking over their shoulders.
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