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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

ByMerriam-Webster
6799 episodes

Podcast Summary

Dive into the fascinating world of language with "Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day," where each episode unveils a new word, enriching your vocabulary and sparking your curiosity. With a blend of linguistic history, usage examples, and playful anecdotes, this podcast transforms ordinary words into extraordinary stories. What sets this podcast apart is its engaging approach to language learning, featuring insights from renowned guests like bestselling author Patricia Cornwell and celebrated linguist Steven Pinker, who discuss the evolution of words and their impact on culture. Listeners will explore a diverse range of topics, from the nuances of "tutelage," which emphasizes the importance of guidance, to the strength implied in "Herculean." Each episode is a delightful journey through etymology and contemporary usage, making it perfect for word enthusiasts, casual learners, or anyone looking to add a bit of linguistic flair to their day. Tune in and let your love for words flourish!

#1

tutelage

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 3, 2025 is:tutelage \TOO-tuh-lij\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-06-031mins
#2

Herculean

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 2, 2025 is:Herculean \her-kyuh-LEE-un\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-06-022mins
#3

proscribe

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 1, 2025 is:proscribe \proh-SCRYBE\ verbSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-06-012mins
#4

opportune

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 31, 2025 is:opportune \ah-per-TOON\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-311mins
#5

gust

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 30, 2025 is:gust \GUST\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-302mins
#6

nascent

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 29, 2025 is:nascent \NASS-unt\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-292mins
#7

fiasco

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 28, 2025 is:fiasco \fee-ASK-oh\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-282mins
#8

interminable

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 27, 2025 is:interminable \in-TER-muh-nuh-bul\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-272mins

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#9

commemorate

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 26, 2025 is:commemorate \kuh-MEM-uh-rayt\ verbSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-262mins
#10

dyspeptic

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 25, 2025 is:dyspeptic \diss-PEP-tik\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-252mins
#11

limn

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 24, 2025 is:limn \LIM\ verbSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-242mins
#12

bastion

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 23, 2025 is:bastion \BAS-chun\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-232mins
#13

voluble

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 22, 2025 is:voluble \VAHL-yuh-bul\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-222mins
#14

hapless

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 21, 2025 is:hapless \HAP-lus\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-211mins
#15

chagrin

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 20, 2025 is:chagrin \shuh-GRIN\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-202mins
#16

antithetical

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 19, 2025 is:antithetical \an-tuh-THET-ih-kul\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-192mins
#17

talisman

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 18, 2025 is:talisman \TAL-iss-mun\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-182mins
#18

mercurial

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 17, 2025 is:mercurial \mer-KYUR-ee-ul\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-171mins
#19

junket

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 16, 2025 is:junket \JUNK-ut\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-162mins
#20

impervious

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 15, 2025 is:impervious \im-PER-vee-us\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-152mins
#21

scuttlebutt

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 14, 2025 is:scuttlebutt \SKUTT-ul-butt\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-141mins
#22

apotropaic

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 13, 2025 is:apotropaic \ap-uh-troh-PAY-ik\ adjective See Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-131mins
#23

fester

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 12, 2025 is:fester \FESS-ter\ verbSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-121mins

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#24

darling

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 11, 2025 is:darling \DAHR-ling\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-112mins
#25

uncanny

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 10, 2025 is:uncanny \un-KAN-ee\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-102mins
#26

gloss

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 9, 2025 is:gloss \GLAHSS\ verbSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-092mins
#27

modicum

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 8, 2025 is:modicum \MAH-dih-kum\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-082mins
#28

bumptious

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 7, 2025 is:bumptious \BUMP-shus\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-071mins
#29

exculpate

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 6, 2025 is:exculpate \EK-skull-payt\ verbSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-061mins
#30

plethora

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 5, 2025 is:plethora \PLETH-uh-ruh\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-052mins
#31

risible

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 4, 2025 is:risible \RIZZ-uh-bul\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-041mins
#32

sleuth

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 3, 2025 is:sleuth \SLOOTH\ verbSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-031mins
#33

ziggurat

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 2, 2025 is:ziggurat \ZIG-uh-rat\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-021mins
#34

convoluted

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 1, 2025 is:convoluted \KAHN-vuh-loo-tud\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-05-012mins
#35

insouciance

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 30, 2025 is:insouciance \in-SOO-see-unss\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-302mins
#36

furtive

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 29, 2025 is:furtive \FER-tiv\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-292mins
#37

alacrity

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 28, 2025 is:alacrity \uh-LAK-ruh-tee\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-282mins
#38

decimate

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 27, 2025 is:decimate \DESS-uh-mayt\ verbSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-272mins
#39

nonchalant

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 26, 2025 is:nonchalant \nahn-shuh-LAHNT\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-262mins
#40

travail

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 25, 2025 is:travail \truh-VAIL\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-252mins
#41

ostensible

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 24, 2025 is:ostensible \ah-STEN-suh-bul\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-242mins
#42

slough

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 23, 2025 is:slough \SLUFF\ verbSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-232mins
#43

liaison

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 22, 2025 is:liaison \lee-AY-zahn\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-222mins
#44

bodacious

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 21, 2025 is:bodacious \boh-DAY-shuss\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-212mins
#45

resurrection

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 20, 2025 is:resurrection \rez-uh-REK-shun\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-202mins
#46

fastidious

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 19, 2025 is:fastidious \fass-TID-ee-us\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-192mins
#47

collaborate

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 18, 2025 is:collaborate \kuh-LAB-uh-rayt\ verbSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-182mins
#48

uncouth

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 17, 2025 is:uncouth \un-KOOTH\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-172mins
#49

adversity

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 16, 2025 is:adversity \ad-VER-suh-tee\ nounSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-162mins
#50

pugnacious

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 15, 2025 is:pugnacious \pug-NAY-shus\ adjectiveSee Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at

2025-04-152mins

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