Advertent

Word of the Day

advertent \ ad-VER-tunt \ adjective

 

1: giving attention

2: heedful

 

EXAMPLES

Marcia listened to everything I said with an advertent expression on her face, and then proceeded to tell me, point by point, why she disagreed with me.

The governor is still threatening to veto the bill, even though he is advertent to the strong public support for it.

 

DID YOU KNOW?

You may be thinking that advertent should mean "intentional." After all, inadvertent means "unintentional." Take away the negative prefix in- and you're left with that word's opposite, right? If this is your line of thought, you're not entirely off base; the two words (which both entered English in the 17th century and derive from Latin advertere, meaning "to turn the mind or attention") are in fact closely linked. But inadvertent has another, older meaning: "inattentive" or "not focusing the mind on a matter." The established meaning of advertent falls opposite that older sense of inadvertent. Does this mean that advertent never means "intentional"? Not exactly. We have seen some evidence of this use, but it's not yet well enough established to be entered in our dictionaries.

Endemic

Word of the Day

endemic \ en-DEM-ik \ adjective

 

1: characteristic of or prevalent in a particular field, area, or environment

 

2: restricted or peculiar to a locality or region

 

EXAMPLES

A recent report identifies the country as a "failed state," citing endemic corruption at all levels of government.

"Aucoin's research focuses on the development of rapid diagnostics as a resource to countries where disease is endemic and expanding."

— From an article in the Reno Gazette-Journal (Nevada), December 3, 2013

 

DID YOU KNOW?

If you translate it literally, "endemic" means "in the population." It derives from the Greek "endēmos," which joins "en," meaning "in," and "dēmos," meaning "people" or "populace." "Endemic" is often used to characterize diseases that are generally found in a particular area; malaria, for example, is said to be endemic to tropical and subtropical regions.

 

This use differs from that of the related word "epidemic" in that it indicates a more or less constant presence in a particular population or area rather than a sudden, severe outbreak within that region or group.

 

The word is also used by biologists to characterize the plant and animal species that are only found in a given area.

Syncretic

Word of the Day

Syncretic \ sin-KRET-ik \ adjective

: characterized or brought about by a combination of different forms of belief or practice

EXAMPLES

Dr. Portman practices a syncretic form of medicine, borrowing from both Eastern and Western medical traditions.

"Her CV cites disparate accomplishments as a scientist, writer, and artist—and teacher…. Moreover, her career arc represents a syncretic impulse that characterizes her general outlook on life." — Glen Martin, Forbes, November 4, 2014

DID YOU KNOW?

Syncretic has its roots in an ancient alliance. It's a descendant of the Greek word synkrētismos, meaning "federation of Cretan cities"—syn- means "together, with," and Krēt- means "Cretan." The adjective first appeared in English in the mid-19th century, and the related noun syncretism debuted over 200 years earlier. Syncretic retains the idea of coalition and appears in such contexts as "syncretic religions," "syncretic societies," and even "syncretic music," all describing things influenced by two or more styles or traditions. The word also has a specific application in linguistics, where it refers to a fusion of inflectional forms.