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Why Dictionary.com chose recreant
More about recreant
- First recorded between 1300–50.
- Combines re-⁷, meaning “backward,” + the Latin word crēdere, meaning “to believe” and related to creed.
EXAMPLES OF RECREANT
- The recreant captain abandoned his sinking ship before the crew even realized the danger.
- If survival is at stake, even a recreant heart finds courage.
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Why Dictionary.com chose humbug
More about humbug
- First recorded in 1730–40.
- Of obscure origin; possibly from an obsolete use of hum, meaning “hoax.”
- The word was criticized as a meaningless fad during its early usage.
EXAMPLES OF HUMBUG
- The email claimed I won a prize, but I knew they were trying to humbug me.
- The startup humbugged customers with flashy marketing and no real product.
elucubrate
verb
to produce (something) by long and intensive effort
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Why Dictionary.com chose elucubrate
More about elucubrate
- First recorded in 1615–25.
- From the Latin ēlūcubrāre, meaning “to produce something by night or candlelight; to create with great effort.”
EXAMPLES OF ELUCUBRATE
- After months of research, the team finally managed to elucubrate a groundbreaking theory on black hole formation.
- The architect elucubrated an innovative design that blended sustainability with classical design.
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