Word of the Day
quixotic
adjective
extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable.
More about quixotic
Quixotic is the namesake of Don Quixote, now spelled Quijote in modern Spanish, who is the titular hero of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra’s most well-known novel. The character Don Quixote’s original surname was Quijano, which is the name of a community in Cantabria, Spain. Quixotic was first recorded in English around 1810. Learn synonyms for quixotic here!
EXAMPLE OF QUIXOTIC USED IN A SENTENCE
Though the couple would have loved a romantic getaway to Paris, they settled for a far less quixotic evening of a candlelit dinner at home.
aorta
noun
the main trunk of the arterial system, conveying blood from the left ventricle of the heart to all of the body except the lungs.
More about aorta
Aorta comes by way of Latin from Ancient Greek aortḗ, “the great artery” or, literally, “something hung, carried.” Aortḗ comes from the verb aeírein, “to lift, carry,” which is also the source of meteor and may be related to the Word of the Day arioso. Aorta was first recorded in English in the 1570s.
EXAMPLE OF AORTA USED IN A SENTENCE
The surgeon replaced the patient’s heart valve so his aorta could function normally again.
More about gridiron
Gridiron originally meant “griddle” and evolved to refer to things resembling griddles and, ultimately, to sports fields that prominently feature intersecting lines. The term comes from Middle English gridirne, which became gridiron because of a false association with the unrelated word irne, “iron,” perhaps because of the metal rods used in griddles. Gridiron was first recorded in English in the late 13th century.
EXAMPLE OF GRIDIRON USED IN A SENTENCE
The staff worked all morning to clear the gridiron of snow so the game could begin.