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googol

[ goo-gawl ] [ ˈgu gɔl ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a number that is equal to 1 followed by 100 zeros

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Why Dictionary.com chose googol

More about googol

  • First recorded in 1935–40.
  • Introduced by U.S. mathematician Edward Kasner (1878–1955), whose nine-year-old nephew allegedly invented it.
  • Inspiration for the famous Google search engine.

EXAMPLES OF GOOGOL

  • The concept of a googol stretches the limits of human imagination, illustrating the vastness of numbers.
  • She joked that it would take a googol of years to finish all the chores on her list.
20240103
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Word of the day

forsooth

[ fawr-sooth ] [ fɔrˈsuθ ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adverb

(now used in derision or to express disbelief) in truth; in fact; indeed.

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Why Dictionary.com chose forsooth

More about forsooth

  • From Middle English forsothe, <Old English forsōth. See for, sooth.
  • The original sense of “in truth, in fact” without an element of derision or irony is obsolete.

EXAMPLES OF FORSOOTH

  • Here’s an original usage example from Othello, Act 1, Scene 1:

Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine

  • Here’s a modern-day, humorous example:

Forsooth, I should be so lucky to find a parking spot on a Friday night!”

20240103
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Word of the day

feckless

[ fek-lis ] [ ˈfɛk lɪs ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

ineffective; incompetent; futile

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Why Dictionary.com chose feckless

More about feckless

  • First recorded in 1590–1600.
  • Originally Scots, from feck, shortened from effeck, Scots form of effect + -less.

EXAMPLES OF FECKLESS

  • The feckless security measures failed to prevent the breach.
  • My feckless efforts to fix the leaky faucet ended in a bigger mess.
20240103
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