adjective not authentic; counterfeit.He was sent to prison for using bogus checks.The evidence against the defendant was found to be bogus. See the full entry

adjective that prescribes; setting down rules.According to a prescriptive view of grammar, it is incorrect to say “different than” rather than “different from.” See the full entry

transitive verb to make impure or unusable by contact or by adding a harmful substance.Chemicals are contaminating the water supply. See the full entry

With the Wordsmyth Vocabulary Center activities, you can study the words of the week, play games with them, and assess your knowledge of their meanings with a quiz. Go to the Vocabulary…

adjective of food, having a deliciously sharp or spicy taste.We were served a piquant broth with flavors of lime and chili peppers. See the full entry