Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2017/March

1

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englyn n

(poetry) A short Welsh or Cornish poem of a variable structure, with each line using quantitative metre and cynghanedd (a repeating pattern of consonants and accent), and different lines being arranged in standardized patterns of rhyme and half rhyme. Today is Saint David's Day, the feast day of the patron saint of Wales.

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2

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devastavit n

(law) Waste or misapplication of the assets of a deceased person by an executor or administrator; devastation. (law) In full, writ of devastavit: a writ issued against an executor or administrator claiming compensation for such misapplication of assets.

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swatch n

A piece, pattern, or sample, generally of cloth or a similar material. (figuratively) A clump or portion of something. (figuratively) A demonstration, an example, a proof. (Northern England, obsolete) A tag or other small object attached to another item as a means of identifying its owner; a tally; specifically the counterfoil of a tally.

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5

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firebase n

(military) An encampment designed to provide indirect artillery support to infantry troops operating beyond the normal range of fire support from their own base camps; a fire support base.

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intersectionality n

The quality or state of being intersectional, that is, of being characterized by intersection (especially of multiple forms of discrimination). The study of (or a sociological methodology of studying) overlapping or intersecting social identities and related systems of oppression, domination, or discrimination. Today is designated by the United Nations as International Women's Day.

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9

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blip n

(electronics) A small dot registered on electronic equipment, such as a radar or oscilloscope screen. A short sound of a single pitch, usually electronically generated. (by extension) A brief and usually minor aberration or deviation from what is expected or normal.

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10

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radish n

A plant of the Brassicaceae family, Raphanus sativus or Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus, having an edible root. The root of this plant used as food. Some varieties are pungent and usually eaten raw in salads, etc., while others have a milder taste and are cooked. With a distinguishing word: some other plant of the Raphanus genus or Brassicaceae family.

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11

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garden path sentence n

(linguistics) A sentence that is easily parsed incorrectly when first read, due to ambiguity of a word or words.

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12

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apple of Sodom n

(medieval mythology) A gigantic tree supposed to have grown on the site of the destroyed cities Sodom and Gomorrah (see Genesis 18–19 in the Bible), the apples of which would turn to ash and smoke once picked. (medieval mythology) The fruit of the mythical tree. (botany) The names of various plants, often bearing bitter or poisonous fruit. […]

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14

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timescape n

A perspective over a period (particularly a long period) of time. (science fiction) A multi-dimensional view of time, especially one in which time travel occurs. Today is Pi Day, and also the birth anniversary of German-born scientist Albert Einstein, who was born in 1879.

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axiom n

(philosophy) A seemingly self-evident or necessary truth which is based on assumption; a principle or proposition which cannot actually be proved or disproved. (logic, mathematics, proof theory) A fundamental assumption that serves as a basis for deduction of theorems (for example, "Through a pair of distinct points there passes exactly one straight line", and "All right angles are congruent"); a postulate. An established principle in some artistic practice or science that is universally received.

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17

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shillelagh n

(Ireland) A wooden (especially oaken) club ending with a large knob. Any cudgel, whether or not of Irish origin. Today is Saint Patrick's Day, the feast day of the patron saint of Ireland.

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18

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gnarly adj

Having or characterized by gnarls; gnarled. (slang) Excellent; attractive. (slang, US) Dangerous; difficult. (slang, US) Unpleasant, awful, ugly. (slang, US) Of music or a sound: harsh. The Odd Couple, the second studio album by American soul duo Gnarls Barkley, was released digitally on this day in 2008.

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20

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mandil n

(chiefly Persia, obsolete) A turban; cloth used to make a turban. Nowruz, the Persian New Year, falls on this day in 2017.

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21

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greenwood n

A forest in full leaf, as in summer. Wood that is green; in other words, not seasoned. Today is the United Nations’ International Day of Forests.

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22

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hydronym n

(onomastics) The name of a river, lake, sea or any other body of water. Today is World Water Day, which focuses on the importance of fresh water and the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

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23

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uptalk v

(linguistics, intransitive) To speak with a rising intonation at the end of a sentence, as if it were a question; to upspeak.

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24

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rhematic adj

Of or pertaining to a rheme. (linguistics) Of a part of a sentence: providing new information regarding the current theme. (Peircean semiotics) Of or pertaining to a sumisign (a sign that represents its object in respect of quality and so, in its signified interpretant, is represented as a character or mark). (obsolete) Of or pertaining to word formation. (obsolete, rare) In Coleridge's work: relating to the arrangement of words into sentences clearly. (grammar, obsolete, rare) Having a verb for its base; derived from a verb.

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25

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armatole n

(historical) A Greek armed mercenary who enforced Ottoman rule in Greece from the 15th century onwards; during the Greek War of Independence (1821–1832), many armatoloi became pro-independence guerrilla fighters opposed to Ottoman rule. Today is Greece’s Independence Day, which marks the day in 1821 when the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire was declared.

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26

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steampunk n

(uncountable, neologism) A subgenre of speculative science fiction set in an anachronistic 19th-century society. (countable) A writer of steampunk fiction. (countable, cosplay) A person cosplaying as a steampunk character. American science fiction and horror author K. W. Jeter, who coined the word, was born on this day in 1950.

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27

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begging the question n

A logical fallacy in which a premise of an argument contains a direct or indirect assumption that the conclusion is true; offering a circular argument; circular reasoning.

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fauxtatoes n

(plural only) A dish of mashed cauliflower used as an alternative to potatoes by followers of a low-carbohydrate diet.

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30

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baked Alaska n

A dessert consisting of ice cream encased in cake and meringue and briefly baked. The dessert is said to have been named by Charles Ranhofer, chef of Delmonico's in New York City, New York, USA, to mark the latter’s purchase of Alaska from the Russian Empire in 1867, 150 years ago today. However, there is no contemporary report of this fact.

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31

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moly cow n

(chemistry, medicine, informal) A device used to extract from a source of decaying molybdenum-99 the metastable isotope 99mTc of technetium, which is the most commonly used medical radioisotope. To celebrate April Fools' Day, we are featuring a series of terms associated with animals. Enjoy!

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