sI nih kəl adjective 1. showing little or no faith in human nature; distrustful or contemptuous of others’ motives. example: To claim that people do charity work only to boost their own…
nemesis
ne mə sihs noun 1. that which one cannot beat, conquer, or succeed at; cause or agent of one’s often repeated downfall. example: Gambling was his nemesis; because of it, he’d lost…
platitude
plae tih tud noun 1. an overused, dull, or trivial remark; hackneyed expression; cliché. example: He was grieving, and hearing platitudes like “time heals all wounds” did nothing to ease his pain….
Neologisms: what makes a new word sticky?
What does it take to invent a word that takes root in the American English language–at least for a while? Ralph Keyes suggests that necessity (new things demand new names) and, on…
Word of the Day: maven
maven meI vihn noun a person with specialized knowledge, often in practical or everyday matters; expert or connoisseur. example: Her housewares brand and a successful cable show have made her a lifestyle…