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Why Dictionary.com chose egregious
More about egregious
- Egregious was first recorded in 1525-35.
- Egregious comes from the Latin word ēgregius, which means “preeminent, outstanding.”
- The greg– element in egregious is the stem of grēx, “flock,” such that egregious literally means “standing out from the flock.”
- Another flock-related word is gregarious, which means “fond of the company of others,” or, more literally, “belonging to the flock.”
EXAMPLES OF EGREGIOUS
- The defendant’s egregious behavior in the courtroom shocked everyone present.
- Despite their years of experience, the coach was unable to overlook the players’ egregious mistakes.
seersucker
noun
traditionally a striped cotton with alternate stripes crinkled in the weaving.
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Why Dictionary.com chose seersucker
More about seersucker
- Seersucker was first recorded in English around 1715-25, after the fabric had begun to be imported to Europe from India.
- Seersucker comes from the Hindi word sīrsakar, from the Persian phrase shīr o shakar, which literally means “milk and sugar.”
- Seersucker was originally used in workwear but became fashionable for men’s suits in the southern United States around the turn of the 20th century.
EXAMPLES OF SEERSUCKER
- The old rocking chair on the front porch was draped in a faded seersucker cushion, evoking nostalgic memories of lazy afternoons.
- As the summer heat intensified, he opted for a lightweight seersucker suit that kept him cool and stylish.
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Why Dictionary.com chose zedonk
More about zedonk
- Zedonk was first recorded in 1970-75, and like the animal it refers to, is a combination of zebra and donkey.
- Zebra comes from the Portuguese word zebra, “wild Iberian ass.”
- Donkey is of uncertain origin, perhaps an alteration of Dunkey, a nickname for Duncan.
- Donkey could also be a form of dun, “dull, grayish brown.”
EXAMPLES OF ZEDONK
- The exotic animal farm always had at least three zedonks at one time along with purebred zebras.
- The child added a zedonk to each of their drawings, as it was one of the few hybrid animals they had seen in real life.
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