51吃瓜 of the Day
seriatim
[ seer-ee-ey-tim, ser- ]
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adverb
in a series; one after another.
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Why Dictionary.com chose seriatim
More about seriatim
- Seriatim was first recorded in 1670鈥�80.
- Seriatim comes from the Medieval Latin word 蝉别谤颈腻迟(耻蝉), 鈥渁rranged in order.鈥�
- The –im ending creates the adverb form.
- The related word, series, ultimately comes from the Latin verb serere, 鈥渢o connect.鈥�
EXAMPLES OF SERIATIM
- The professor listed the key points of his lecture seriatim, ensuring that each point was addressed in a systematic manner.
- The avid reader always tackled her new library book acquisitions seriatim, reading one novel after another without skipping a beat.
SYNONYM OF THE DAY
Double your word knowledge with the Synonym of the Day!
semaphore
[ sem-uh-fohr ]
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noun
a system of signaling, especially a system by which a special flag is held in each hand and various positions of the arms indicate specific letters, numbers, etc.
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Why Dictionary.com chose semaphore
More about semaphore
- Semaphore was first recorded in 1810鈥�20.
- Semaphore comes from the French word 蝉茅尘补辫丑辞谤别,聽from the Greek word 蝉锚尘补, 鈥渟ign,鈥� and –phore, from the Greek form –phoros, 鈥渂earing.”
- Other words ending in –phore 颈苍肠濒耻诲别听ionophore, “a substance capable of transmitting ions through cell membranes,” and聽aerophore, “a portable device filled with compressed air.”
EXAMPLES OF SEMAPHORE
- With a well-coordinated semaphore display, the scout effectively transmitted vital information to the rest of the team.
- Using semaphore, the sailor signaled the approaching ship by holding her arms in precise positions, forming letters and numbers.
copacetic
[ koh-puh-set-ik ]
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adjective
fine; completely satisfactory; OK.
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Why Dictionary.com chose copacetic
More about copacetic
- Copacetic is an Americanism that was first attested in Irving Bacheller鈥檚 1919 book about Abraham Lincoln, A Man for the Ages.
- Copacetic is also spelled copasetic and is of obscure origin.
- Proposed languages of origin include Chinook, Italian, Louisiana French, and Hebrew, but none of the origin stories are particularly convincing.
- Copacetic further entered the public consciousness through the Prohibition-era song 鈥淎t the New Jump Steady Ball,鈥� whose lyrics include the line 鈥�Copasetic was the password for one and all, at the new jump steady ball.鈥�
EXAMPLES OF COPACETIC
- The dinner party was a success, with delicious food, great company, and a copacetic atmosphere.
- Despite some initial concerns, the project’s progress has been copacetic and is moving forward smoothly.
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