Word of the Day
plebiscite
noun
a direct vote of the qualified voters of a state in regard to some important public question
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Why Dictionary.com chose plebiscite
More about plebiscite
- First recorded in 1525–35.
- Borrowed directly from French and ultimately from the classical Latin plebiscitum, meaning “a decree or resolution of the people.”
EXAMPLES OF PLEBISCITE
- The plebiscite results revealed overwhelming support for preserving the historic site.
- The government held a plebiscite, letting the people decide on future energy sources.
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Why Dictionary.com chose anon
More about anon
- First recorded before 1000.
- From the Old English on āne, meaning “in one (course),” i.e., straightaway.
EXAMPLES OF ANON
- The car is packed, so we’ll leave for the trip anon.
- The play begins anon, so we should take our seats.
spancel
noun
a rope used to prevent an animal from straying
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Why Dictionary.com chose spancel
More about spancel
- Recorded in 1600–10.
- From the low German spannen, “to stretch.” See span².
EXAMPLES OF SPANCEL
- The farmer secured the cow with a spancel to keep it from wandering into the neighbor’s field.
- In the pastures, the spancel allowed the animals to graze without running off.
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