Word of the Day
elevenses
noun
a midmorning break for refreshments
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Why Dictionary.com chose elevenses
More about elevenses
- First recorded in 1840–65 and chiefly in British English usage.
- Originally a dialect of elevens, meaning “an eleven-o’clock meal.”
- Doubly pluralized form of eleven, perhaps as ellipsis of eleven hours (eleven o’clock).
EXAMPLES OF ELEVENSES
- During elevenses, the hikers rested and refueled with some fruit and nuts before continuing their trek.
- Every day, she looks forward to elevenses, a brief respite from her busy schedule.
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Why Dictionary.com chose marmoreal
More about marmoreal
- First recorded between 1790–1800.
- From Latin marmore(us), “made of marble,” (see marble, -eous) + -al1.
EXAMPLES OF MARMOREAL
- The ancient ruins included a marmoreal floor, still shining brightly despite the passage of centuries.
- Your complexion is so smooth and pale that it looks marmoreal under the soft lighting.
hermitage
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Why Dictionary.com chose hermitage
More about hermitage
- First recorded between 1250–1300.
- The sense of “any secluded place of residence” first came into usage during the 1640s.
- From the same spelling as Old French; from Medieval Latin hermitorium, “a hermit’s dwelling place.”
- See hermit, eremite, -age.
EXAMPLES OF HERMITAGE
- After years in the public eye, the artist found peace in a hermitage deep in the forest.
- My hermitage — a small cabin surrounded by trees — was the perfect place for writing a novel.
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