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Word of the day

allay

[ uh-ley ] [ əˈleɪ ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

verb

to alleviate or mitigate

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Why Dictionary.com chose allay

More about allay

  • From Old English (450–1150) ālecgan, meaning “to put down.”
  • The spelling -ll- was influenced by the word allege, which was sometimes spelled similarly to allay in Middle English (1150–1475).

EXAMPLES OF ALLAY

  • A quick apology helped allay the tension between them.
  • Mulch will allay soil erosion in heavy rains.
20240103
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Word of the day

shamrock

[ sham-rok ] [ ˈʃæm rɒk ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a type of clover, used as a symbol of Ireland

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Why Dictionary.com chose shamrock

More about shamrock

  • First recorded in 1565–75.
  • From Irish seamróg, the diminutive form of seamair, meaning “clover.”

EXAMPLES OF SHAMROCK

  • She found a tiny shamrock growing between the cobblestones.
  • The bakery’s signature Saint Patrick’s Day cake featured shamrocks made of frosting.
20240103
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Word of the day

centesimal

[ sen-tes-uh-muhl ] [ sɛnˈtɛs ə məl ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

pertaining to division into hundredths

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Why Dictionary.com chose centesimal

More about centesimal

  • First recorded in 1675–85.
  • From Latin centēsimus, meaning “hundredth;” combines cent, meaning “100,” + -ēsimus, a Latin suffix related to -th², + -al².

EXAMPLES OF CENTESIMAL

  • What people casually call decimal currency is actually a centesimal system.
  • The GPS device calculated distances with centesimal precision.
20240103
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