Word of the Day
glissade
noun
a skillful glide over snow or ice in descending a mountain.
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Why Dictionary.com chose glissade
More about glissade
- Glissade entered English around 1830–40.
- Glissade comes from French, and is composed of the verb glisser, meaning “to slip, slide,” and –ade, a noun suffix that denotes an action or process or a person or persons acting.
- The –ade suffix also appears in other loanwords from French and sometimes from Spanish, such as cannonade, fusillade, and renegade.
EXAMPLES OF GLISSADE
- The children squealed with delight as they took turns on the toboggan, experiencing the exhilaration of a glissade down the icy hill.
- The experienced mountaineer utilized their impressive skills to execute a flawless glissade, swiftly navigating the treacherous snowy terrain.
coruscate
verb
to emit vivid flashes of light; sparkle; scintillate; gleam.
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Why Dictionary.com chose coruscate
More about coruscate
- Coruscate was first recorded around 1695–1705.
- Coruscate comes from the past participle of the Latin word coruscāre, “to quiver, flash.”
- The related adjective coruscant, “sparkling or gleaming; scintillating,” entered English much earlier, in the late 15th century.
EXAMPLES OF CORUSCATE
- The dewdrops on the grass coruscated in the morning sunlight, creating a mesmerizing scene.
- The candles seemed to coruscate with every slight movement of the air, catching everyone’s attention.
roux
noun
a cooked mixture of butter or other fat and flour used to thicken sauces, soups, and other dishes.
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Why Dictionary.com chose roux
More about roux
- Roux entered English around 1805–15.
- Roux was borrowed from French, and comes from the phrase (beurre) roux, which means “brown (butter).”
- Roux came from the Latin word russus, “red-brown, red-haired,” which is similar to ruber, “red.”
EXAMPLES OF ROUX
- The chef prepared a velvety smooth sauce by slowly whisking a roux made with equal parts butter and flour into the simmering broth.
- The secret to the perfect gravy lies in achieving just the right color and consistency of the roux.
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