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scrupulous

[ skroo-pyuh-luhs ] [ ˈskru pyə ləs ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

having moral or ethical standards

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Why Dictionary.com chose scrupulous

More about scrupulous

  • First recorded between 1400–50.
  • Combines scruple, meaning “a moral or ethical standard,” + -ous.
  • From the Latin scrupulus, originally meaning “a sharp piece of stone” but later “a worry or doubt.”

EXAMPLES OF SCRUPULOUS

  • His scrupulous commitment to fair wages earned his company a loyal workforce.
  • Even under pressure, the judge remained scrupulous in upholding the law.
20240103
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51³Ô¹Ï of the Day Calendar

51³Ô¹Ï of the day

earthshine

[ urth-shahyn ] [ ˈɜrθˌʃaɪn ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a faint glow on the dark part of the moon during a crescent phase, caused by sunlight reflecting off the earth

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Why Dictionary.com chose earthshine

More about earthshine

  • First recorded in 1825–35.
  • Combines earth + ²õ³ó¾±²Ô±ð¹; after moonshine.
  • Possibly influenced by the earlier German word with the same meaning, Erdschein, which has cognate elements.

EXAMPLES OF EARTHSHINE 

  • Through the telescope, the soft earthshine made the entire lunar surface faintly visible.
  • Leonardo da Vinci was one of the first to correctly explain the phenomenon of earthshine.
20240103
51³Ô¹Ï of the Day Calendar

51³Ô¹Ï of the day

warren

[ wawr-uhn ] [ ˈwɔr ən ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a place where rabbits live

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Why Dictionary.com chose warren

More about warren

  • First recorded between 1350–1400.
  • From Old French guarenne, meaning “an enclosed area for breeding game animals for hunting.”

EXAMPLES OF WARREN 

  • A rabbit bolted from the underbrush and vanished into the safety of its warren.
  • The fox waited patiently outside the warren, hoping for an easy meal.
20240103
51³Ô¹Ï of the Day Calendar
51³Ô¹Ï of the Day Calendar