Word of the Day

Word of the Day is a service for the improvement of the minds of students currently engaged in advanced study and for any others interested in words. Inspired in part by Alan Bennett's play, in which the students (at that time armed only with their own intelligence and a large dictionary) seek to expand their command of language, it is appropriate that the first word in the list is taken from that play.

Word of the day is free and available on request - please send an email if you'd like to be on the list. The first twenty words are given here for your interest. Suggestions for future words will be welcome.

Byronic	Modernism
Cacophonous	Obfuscation
Clandestine	Otiose
Cornucopia	Pandora's box
Didactic	Platonic
Dilettante	Portmanteau
Eclectic	Recidivist
Empathy	Semordnilap (or: 'pals reviled')
Euphemism	Shibboleth (and the story behind this word)
Hyperbole	Stakhanovite (and who said: 'I will work harder'?)

Suitable sources of information are given on the language page, though in some cases further research may be required. A corpus site or Wikipedia may help when the dictionaries fail.

Word sites on the web

See the Words on the web sites listed on the Language page.

Books of Words

• Peter Bowler: The Superior Person's Book of Words - frankly frivolous collation of ostentation.
• Michael Quinion: Port Out, Starboard Home - fascinating mine of information from the creator of the World Wide Words website.