Word of the Day
quadrivial
adjective
having four ways or roads meeting in a point.
More about quadrivial
In quadrivial, the quadri- element is a form of Latin quattuor, “four,” while -vial comes from Latin via, “way.” Quattuor is the source of French quatre, Italian quattro, Portuguese quatro, Romanian patru, and Spanish cuatro, all meaning “four.” Meanwhile, via is the source of trivial and viaduct as well as convey and voyage. Quadrivial was first recorded in English around the turn of the 15th century.
EXAMPLE OF QUADRIVIAL USED IN A SENTENCE
The complicated quadrivial intersection had caused so many traffic accidents that the city eventually closed it off to cars entirely.
cakeage
noun
a fee charged by a restaurant for serving a cake brought in from outside.
More about cakeage
Cakeage is modeled on corkage, which is a fee charged when patrons bring their own wine or liquor to a restaurant. Cake ultimately comes from Old Norse kaka, which makes cakeage a distant relative of the Words of the Day krumkake and lebkuchen. Cakeage is one of the recent additions to Dictionary.com.
EXAMPLE OF CAKEAGE USED IN A SENTENCE
The server levied a $10 fee for cakeage when the dinner party host revealed their own platter of jelly rolls.
somatopsychic
adjective
of or relating to the effects of the body on the mind.
More about somatopsychic
Somatopsychic consists of the combining form somato-, which comes from Ancient Greek sôma, “body,” and the adjective psychic, which ultimately comes from Ancient Greek psȳ́chein, “to breathe, blow” and, by extension, “to live.” The same root, psȳ́chein, is also the source of Word of the Day psychotronic. Somatopsychic was first recorded in English at the turn of the 20th century.
EXAMPLE OF SOMATOPSYCHIC USED IN A SENTENCE
The chronic pain in the man’s leg had a somatopsychic effect, causing him constant anxiety and stress even when he was at rest.