Word of the Day
quipu
noun
an ancient Peruvian device used for recording events and accounts
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Why Dictionary.com chose quipu
More about quipu
- First recorded in 1695–1705.
- Borrowed from the Spanish quipu and the Quechua khipu, meaning “knot.”
EXAMPLES OF QUIPU
- The Inca used the quipu, a system of knotted cords, to record agricultural data and census information.
- Experts believe that quipus may have also been used for storytelling, though much of their meaning remains a mystery.
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Why Dictionary.com chose olid
More about olid
- First recorded in the late 1600s.
- From the classical Latin olidus, meaning “having an offensive smell.”
EXAMPLES OF OLID
- The olid stench from the trash dump made it difficult to breathe.
- As soon as we opened the old refrigerator, an olid wave of spoiled food hit our noses.
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Why Dictionary.com chose mettlesome
More about mettlesome
- First recorded in 1655–65; combining mettle + -some1.
- Was used interchangeably with the spelling variant metalsome from the 1660s until the early 18th century.
EXAMPLES OF METTLESOME
- The mettlesome team fought until the last second of the football game.
- The CEO’s mettlesome attitude made her a natural leader in times of crisis.
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