Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2020/May

2020
← Dec 2019	Jan • Feb • Mar • Apr • May • Jun • Jul • Aug • Sep • Oct • Nov • Dec	Jan 2021 →
1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31

1

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 1

wildcat strike n

(organized labour) A labour strike that has not been authorized by the leaders of a trade union. Today is celebrated as International Workers’ Day or Labour Day in many countries to recognize the achievements and contributions of workers.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

2

3

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 3

legman n

(originally US) A person hired to carry out errands or (often) menial tasks, frequently requiring travel from place to place; an errand boy or errand girl, a runner. (originally US, journalism) A reporter who frequently travels to conduct research, interview witnesses, etc., and then conveys the information to a rewriteman who writes up the story. Today is World Press Freedom Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

4

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 4

slanhood n

(fandom slang, dated) The state of being a science fiction fan. May the Fourth – oops, the Force – be with you! Today is observed as Star Wars Day by fans of the franchise. (The word is also a near-anagram of Han Solo!)

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

5

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 5

salipenter n

(Guyana) A tegu lizard (genus Tupinambis), especially the gold tegu (Tupinambis teguixin). Today is Indian Arrival Day in Guyana, which commemorates the first arrival of indentured labourers from India to the country on this day in 1838.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

6

7

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 7

hunger stone n

A stone, either naturally exposed or intentionally embedded in a river during a drought, which is dated and often inscribed to mark the water level as a warning to future generations that they may face famine if the water reaches that low level again. Such stones are common in Central Europe.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

8

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 8

hearken v

(transitive, archaic except poetic) To hear (something) with attention; to have regard to (something). (intransitive) To listen; to attend or give heed to what is uttered; to hear with attention, compliance, or obedience. (intransitive, obsolete) To enquire; to seek information.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

9

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 9

squacco n

A species of pond heron, Ardeola ralloides, which is small, and brown and white in colour; it is found in Asia, Northern Africa, and Southern Europe. Today, the second Saturday of May in 2020, is the first of the two World Migratory Bird Days in the year. These days were established by the Secretariats of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals to highlight the importance of protecting migratory birds and their habitats.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

10

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 10

maternal adj

Of or pertaining to a mother; having the characteristics of a mother; motherly. Related through the mother, or her side of the family. (anatomy, medicine) Derived from the mother as opposed to the foetus during pregnancy. Today, the second Sunday of May in 2020, is celebrated in many countries as Mother’s Day.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

11

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 11

leatherette n

(countable, uncountable, also attributively) A type of fabric, often plastic, made to imitate the appearance of leather. (countable, slang) A person who dresses in leather or imitation leather.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

12

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 12

tamada n

(chiefly Georgia) A toastmaster at a feast in the Caucasus, especially in Georgia. Today is the Day of Saint Andrew the First-called in Georgia, which celebrates the apostle regarded as the founder of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

13

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 13

exit v

(intransitive) To go out or go away from a place or situation; to depart, to leave. (intransitive, often euphemistic) To depart from life; to die. (transitive, intransitive, computing) To end or terminate (a program, subroutine, etc.) (transitive, originally US, also figuratively) To depart from or leave (a place or situation). (transitive, specifically) To alight or disembark from a vehicle. [...] (intransitive, drama, also figuratively) Used as a stage direction for an actor: to leave the scene or stage.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

14

15

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 15

uxorial adj

(not comparable) Of or pertaining to a wife, or her genes or relatives. (comparable) Devoted to one's wife; uxorious. Today is the International Day of Families, which is recognized by the United Nations to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the demographic, economic, and social processes affecting families.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

16

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 16

ride shotgun v (US, idiomatic)

To accompany the driver of a vehicle on a journey as an armed escort (originally with a shotgun); (by extension) to accompany someone in order to assist and protect. (by extension, slang) To ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver. (by extension, slang) To supervise a process and watch for any risks. The musical Annie Get Your Gun premiered on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA, on this day in 1946.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

17

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 17

ones and zeroes n

(computing, informal) Binary code; on and off bits. Today is World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to raise awareness of the benefits to society of the Internet and other information and communication technologies, and the need to bridge the digital divide.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

18

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 18

eke n

(obsolete except British, dialectal) An addition. (beekeeping, archaic) A small stand on which a beehive is placed. eke v (transitive) Chiefly in the form eke out: to add to, to augment; to increase; to lengthen. eke adv (obsolete) Also.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

19

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 19

floriography n

Communication through the use of flowers, with different types of flowers having particular symbolic meanings. The Royal Horticultural Society’s online Virtual Chelsea Flower Show starts on this day in 2020, the traditional physical show having been cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

20

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 20

wheelhouse n

A building or other structure containing a (large) wheel, such as the water wheel of a mill. (automotive) The partially enclosed structure above and around a wheel of an automobile, typically partly formed by a portion of a fender panel that has been extended outward beyond the plane of the rest of the panel. (nautical) An enclosed compartment on the deck of a vessel such as a fishing boat, originally housing its helm or steering wheel, from which it may be navigated; on a larger vessel it is the bridge. (nautical) The enclosed structure around the paddlewheel of a steamboat. (archaeology) A prehistoric structure from the Iron Age found in Scotland, characteristically including an outer wall within which a circle of stone piers (resembling the spokes of a wheel) form the basis for lintel arches supporting corbelled roofing with a hearth at the hub. (Canada, US, baseball, by extension from sense 1.2) A pitch location which is favourable to the hitter. (Canada, US, figuratively) A person's area of authority or expertise. Today is European Maritime Day, which seeks to raise European citizens’ awareness of the seas and their importance.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

21

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 21

dingolay v

(intransitive, Caribbean) To perform a kind of lively dance with hand movements. Today is the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development or Diversity Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to highlight the value of cultural diversity and the need for people to live together in harmony.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

22

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 22

foxfire n

(mycology, chiefly US) Bioluminescence created by some types of fungus, particularly those growing on rotting wood. (by extension, loosely) Wood exhibiting fungal bioluminescence; torchwood. Today is the International Day for Biological Diversity or World Biodiversity Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to promote awareness of the importance of biodiversity.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

23

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 23

red-eye v

(intransitive, aviation, travel, colloquial) Often followed by it: to travel on a red-eye (“an overnight airplane flight”).

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

24

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 24

sneakernet n (computing, humorous, informal, historical)

(uncountable) A method of transferring a computer file from one computer to another by copying it to a floppy disk, thumb drive, or some other external storage device, carrying the device to the other computer, and saving the file there, in contrast to electronic methods used by networked computers to transfer data. (countable) The group of computers involved in this practice.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

25

26

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 26

backdam n

A dam that lies to the rear of something. (Guyana) A region of rural, undeveloped land, especially on the outskirts of a farm. Today is the Independence Day of Guyana.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

27

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 27

libre adj

(obsolete, rare) Especially of the will: free, independent, unconstrained. (software) With very few limitations on distribution or the right to access the source code to create improved versions, but not necessarily free of charge.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

28

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 28

fifth wheel n (chiefly US)

(road transport) A type of trailer hitch, which consists of a horseshoe-shaped plate on a multidirectional pivot, with a locking pin to couple with the kingpin of a truck trailer. In full, fifth-wheel trailer: a large caravan or travel trailer that is connected to a pickup truck for towing by a hitch similar to the one described in sense 1 located in the center of the truck's bed. (road transport, historical) A horizontal wheel or segment of a wheel above the front axle and beneath the body of a carriage, forming an extended support to prevent it from overturning. (idiomatic, informal) Anything superfluous or unnecessary.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

29

30

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 30

inkling n

Usually preceded by forms of to give: a slight hint, implication, or suggestion given. Often preceded by forms of to get or to have: an imprecise idea or slight knowledge of something; a suspicion. (British, dialectal) A desire, an inclination.

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →

31

edit · refresh · view Word of the day for May 31

salami-slice v

(transitive, chiefly British, informal) To engage in salami slicing. To divide (something) into small groups or portions; specifically, to tackle (a big task, etc.) in incremental steps. To reduce (something) incrementally (for example, to cut a budget by gradually removing sums of money from it).

← yesterday | About Word of the Day • Nominate a word • Leave feedback | tomorrow →