WORD OF THE DAY
jubilate \ JOO-buh-layt \ verb
Definition
: to rejoice
Examples
The crowd jubilated as the baserunner slid across home plate with the winning run.
"When the game was over … there was a lot of jumping up and down and jiggling and hugging and jubilating in the luxury box belonging to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones."
— Cindy Boren, The Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2015
Did You Know?
When things are going your way, you may want to shout for joy. Jubilate testifies to the fact that people have had the urge to give (loud) voice to their happiness for centuries. Although jubilate first appeared in print around the middle of the 17th century, its connection to vocal joy goes back much farther; it is derived from the Latin verb jubilare, which means "to shout for joy."
Jubilare has also played a role in the development of a few other closely related joyful English words, including jubilant (the earliest meaning was "making a joyful noise," though it is now most often used to mean simply "exultant") and jubilation ("an act of rejoicing").
Friday, June 3, 2016
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Cadence
WORD OF THE DAY
cadence \ KAY-dunss \ noun
Definition
1a : a rhythmic sequence or flow of sounds in language
1b : the beat, time, or measure of rhythmical motion or activity
2a : a falling inflection of the voice
2b : a musical chord sequence moving to a harmonic close or rest
3 : the modulated and rhythmic recurrence of a sound especially in nature
Examples
Stephanie relaxed at the beach, listening to the cadence of the surf.
"The app detects your natural cadence when you walk or run, and cues up a playlist that matches your rhythm."
— Alison Sweeney, Redbook, 1 Apr. 2016
Did You Know?
Falling into the hands of English speakers in the 14th century, cadence derives via Middle English and Old Italian from the Latin verb cadere, meaning "to fall." (Cadere can be found in the history of many common English words, including decay, coincide, and accident.)
We most often hear cadence used in contexts pertaining to voice or music—it might refer to the familiar way in which someone speaks, or the rhythms employed by a rap artist, or the rising and falling notes of a bird's call. Cadenza, the Old Italian word that factors into the history of cadence, has its own place in English as well. Cadenza in English usually refers to a brilliant musical flourish played before closing out an aria.
cadence \ KAY-dunss \ noun
Definition
1a : a rhythmic sequence or flow of sounds in language
1b : the beat, time, or measure of rhythmical motion or activity
2a : a falling inflection of the voice
2b : a musical chord sequence moving to a harmonic close or rest
3 : the modulated and rhythmic recurrence of a sound especially in nature
Examples
Stephanie relaxed at the beach, listening to the cadence of the surf.
"The app detects your natural cadence when you walk or run, and cues up a playlist that matches your rhythm."
— Alison Sweeney, Redbook, 1 Apr. 2016
Did You Know?
Falling into the hands of English speakers in the 14th century, cadence derives via Middle English and Old Italian from the Latin verb cadere, meaning "to fall." (Cadere can be found in the history of many common English words, including decay, coincide, and accident.)
We most often hear cadence used in contexts pertaining to voice or music—it might refer to the familiar way in which someone speaks, or the rhythms employed by a rap artist, or the rising and falling notes of a bird's call. Cadenza, the Old Italian word that factors into the history of cadence, has its own place in English as well. Cadenza in English usually refers to a brilliant musical flourish played before closing out an aria.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Exemplary
WORD OF THE DAY
exemplary \ig-ZEM-pluh-ree \ adjective
Definition
1a : deserving imitation especially because of excellence
1b: commendable
2a : serving as a warning
2b: monitory
3 : serving as an example, instance, or illustration
Examples
Members of the community who have demonstrated exemplary public service will be honored at the ceremony.
"Since 1962, Big Blue's Fellows program annually honors exemplary technologists, researchers and scientists within the company."
— The Poughkeepsie (New York) Journal, 25 Apr. 2016
Did You Know?
Since the 1500s, exemplary has been used in English for things deserving imitation. The word (and its close relatives example and exemplify) derives from the Latin noun exemplum, which means "example."
Usage commentators have sometimes warned against using exemplary as if it were simply a synonym of excellent, but clear-cut instances of such usage are hard to come by. When exemplary describes something excellent, as it often does, it almost always carries the further suggestion that the thing described is worthy of imitation.
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