Apr 15, 2026 · Learn a new word every day! Follow Merriam-Webster for the most trusted Word of the Day, trending info, word games, and more.

Dec 22, 2024 · Biologists explore the effects of ambient light on plants; acoustics experts try to control ambient sound; and meteorologists monitor the temperature of ambient air. All this can make …

Nov 1, 2023 · "This latter-day Solomon remarked upon the atmospheric conditions he encountered ... a choking smoke that prompted him to cover his mouth and nostrils with a handkerchief.

Apr 2, 2024 · If you're burning to know the history of ethereal, you're in the right spirit to fully understand the word's etymology. The ancient Greeks believed that the Earth was composed of earth, air, fire, and

Feb 9, 2025 · If you feel like “a hot air balloon that could go to space” or, perhaps, “like a room without a roof,” you might—with all due respect to Pharrell Williams—be not just happy but ecstatic. In other

Sep 4, 2025 · Jaw-dropping suspense is at the etymological heart of abeyance: the word’s Anglo-French forbear joined parts meaning “to open wide” and “to have the mouth wide open; gape, pant.” Almost …

Nov 27, 2024 · Get your mind out of the gutter. Despite appearances, guttural is not related to the English word gutter; that word comes ultimately from the Latin verb gutta, meaning “drop,” while …

Mar 22, 2026 · Build your vocabulary: get a new word every day from Merriam-Webster dictionary. Learn the meaning, history, and fun facts about Apotheosis. Also available as podcast, newsletter, and on …

Oct 25, 2024 · Health and happiness are often linked, sometimes even in etymologies. Today euphoria generally refers to happiness, but it comes from euphoros, a Greek word that means “healthy.” Given …

Jan 26, 2019 · Almost everyone gets the doldrums—a feeling of low spirits and lack of energy—every once in a while. The doldrums experienced by sailors, however, are usually of a different variety. In …