Word of the Day

Atavistic (adj) at-a-vis-tik Relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral. Late…

Dimity (noun) dim-i-tee A hard-wearing cotton fabric woven with stripes or checks. Late Middle English:…

Vitiate (verb) vish-ee-ayt Spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of. Mid 16th century: from…

Chiromancy (noun) kai-ro-man-see The supposed prediction of a person's future from interpreting the lines on…

Pathophobia (noun) path-u-fo-bee-a A morbid fear of disease. From Latin path-phobia (more…)

Phillumenist (noun) fil-oom-en-ist A collector of matchbox or matchbook labels. 1940s: from phil- ‘loving’ +…

Circumvallate (verb) sir-kum-val-ayt Surround with or as if with a rampart. Mid 17th century (as…

Priapic (adj) pry-ap-ik Relating to or resembling a phallus. Late 18th century: from Priapos (Greek…