Word of the Day
primaveral
adjective
pertaining to the early springtime
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Why Dictionary.com chose primaveral
More about primaveral
- First recorded in 1815–25.
- Combines the Latin term prīmō vēre, meaning “early spring,” + the suffix -al².
EXAMPLES OF PRIMAVERAL
- The forest path was lined with primaveral wildflowers pushing through the last patches of snow.
- The primaveral breeze carried the scent of fresh blossoms through the open window.
paregmenon
noun
the juxtaposition of words that have a common root
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Why Dictionary.com chose paregmenon
More about paregmenon
- First recorded in 1670–80.
- From Greek parēgménon, meaning “has been led aside or changed.”
EXAMPLES OF PAREGMENON
- The title of the Jane Austen book Sense and Sensibility is an example of paregmenon.
- His speech relied on paregmenon to drive the point home, repeating “fighting fights” and “building buildings” to emphasize the weight of his words.
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Why Dictionary.com chose allay
More about allay
- From Old English (450–1150) ālecgan, meaning “to put down.”
- The spelling -ll- was influenced by the word allege, which was sometimes spelled similarly to allay in Middle English (1150–1475).
EXAMPLES OF ALLAY
- A quick apology helped allay the tension between them.
- Mulch will allay soil erosion in heavy rains.
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