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Word of the day

cavil

[ kav-uhl ] [ ˈkæv əl ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

verb

to raise irritating and trivial objections; find fault with unnecessarily.

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Why Dictionary.com chose cavil

More about cavil

  • First recorded in 1540–50.
  • From Latin cavillārī “to jeer, scoff, quibble.”
  • Cavillārī is a derivative of cavilla “jesting, banter.”
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EXAMPLES OF CAVIL

  • Instead of appreciating the effort put into the event, he chose to cavil about the choice of music, claiming it ruined the entire experience.
  • She tends to cavil about grammar mistakes in online forums, often derailing discussions with her pedantic comments.
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imponderabilia

[ im-pon-der-uh-bil-ee-uh ] [ ɪmˌpɒn dər əˈbɪl i ə ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

plural noun

things that cannot be precisely determined, measured, or evaluated.

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Why Dictionary.com chose imponderabilia

More about imponderabilia

  • First recorded in 1920–25.
  • From Medieval Latin imponderābilis, “not ponderable.”
  • Imponderābilis comes from Latin ponderāre, “to weigh, reflect on,” a derivative of pondus, “weight.”
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EXAMPLES OF IMPONDERABILIA

  • Throughout history, artists have tried to capture the imponderabilia of human emotions.
  • The philosopher contemplated the imponderabilia of existence, pondering questions that had no easy answers.
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Word of the day

jannock

[ jan-uhk ] [ ˈdʒæn ək ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

honest; fair; straightforward.

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Why Dictionary.com chose jannock

More about jannock

  • First recorded in 1825–30.
  • Primarily used in British and Australian dialects of English.
  • Of uncertain origin, but has been applied to a type of oat bread, jannock bread.
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EXAMPLES OF JANNOCK

  • The jannock approach of the coach brought out the best in her players, instilling a sense of fairness and camaraderie.
  • The jannock businessman refused to engage in deceptive practices, maintaining a reputation for honesty and integrity.
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