Word of the Day
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Why Dictionary.com chose clout
More about clout
- Clout comes from the Old English word clūt, meaning “piece of cloth or metal.”
- The slang meaning of clout appears as early as the 1860s, apparently based on a centuries-old sense of clout meaning “punch” or “force,” which came from the verb form clūtian, “to patch” and “to strike with the hand.”
- Clout got new life again in the 2000s with the rise of social media and spread in the 2010s as a more general slang term meaning popularity and coolness.
EXAMPLES OF CLOUT
- Despite being a newcomer to the industry, she was helped by her father’s clout in securing a high-profile job.
- Many of the world leaders seek to gain diplomatic clout by forming alliances with other countries.
festoon
noun
a string or chain of flowers, foliage, ribbon, suspended in a curve between two points.
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Why Dictionary.com chose festoon
More about festoon
- Festoon can also be a verb meaning “to adorn with festoons.”
- Festoon entered English between 1670–80.
- It comes via French from the Italian word festone, meaning “decoration for a feast.”
EXAMPLES OF FESTOON
- The wedding arch was a festoon made of delicate white flowers that swayed in the gentle breeze.
- For the music festival, the decorators had strung a festoon with bright neon lights across the stage to illuminate the performers and audience alike.
antihero
noun
a protagonist who lacks the attributes that make a heroic figure, as nobility of mind and spirit, a life or attitude marked by action or purpose, and the like.
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Why Dictionary.com chose antihero
More about antihero
- Antihero entered English at the turn of the 18th century and is formed from the Latin prefix anti, meaning “opposite of” and hero, originally from the Greek word hḗrōs, meaning “protector” or “defender.”
- Hero and its counterpart antihero were first used almost exclusively to refer to a man.
- Although the corresponding word heroine and its counterpart antiheroine were—and still are—reserved for women, hero and antihero are now considered to be gender-neutral words.
EXAMPLES OF ANTIHERO
- Despite his questionable methods and morally ambiguous choices, the antihero of the story captivated audiences with his complex personality and unconventional approach to justice.
- In a refreshing departure from traditional heroes, the antihero‘s flawed nature allowed for a more realistic and relatable depiction of human struggles, resonating with a generation seeking characters who defy conventions.
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