Word of the Day for Thursday, January 3, 2008 arcanum \ar-KAY-nuhm\, noun ; plural arcana \-nuh\: 1. A secret; a mystery. 2. Specialized or mysterious knowledge, language, or information that is not accessible to the average person (generally used in the plural).

Word of the Day for Wednesday, January 2, 2008 faineant \fay-nay-AWN\, adjective : 1. Doing nothing or given to doing nothing; idle; lazy. 2. A do-nothing; an idle fellow; a sluggard.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!   Word of the Day for Tuesday, January 1, 2008 Zeitgeist \TSYT-guyst; ZYT-guyst\, noun : [Often capitalized] The spirit of the time; the general intellectual and moral state or temper characteristic of any period of time.

Word of the Day for Thursday, November 8, 2007 ameliorate \uh-MEEL-yuh-rayt\, transitive verb : 1. To make better; to improve. 2. To grow better.

Word of the Day for Tuesday, November 6, 2007 bete noire \bet-NWAHR\, noun : Something or someone particularly detested or avoided; a bugbear.

Word of the Day for Monday , November 5, 2007 sciolism \SY-uh-liz-uhm\, noun : Superficial knowledge; a superficial show of learning.

Word of the Day for Tuesday , October 30, 2007 terminus \TUR-muh-nuhs\, noun : 1. The finishing point; the end. 2. A boundary; a border; a limit. 3. A post or stone marking a boundary. 4. Either end of a railroad or other transportation line; also, the station house, town, or city at that place.

Word of the Day for Friday, October 26, 2007 bravado \bruh-VAH-doh\, noun ; plural bravados or bravadoes \bruh-VAH-dohz\: A real or pretended show of courage or boldness.

Word of the Day for Thursday, October 25, 2007 stentorian \sten-TOR-ee-uhn\, adjective : Extremely loud.

Word of the Day for Wednesday, October 24, 2007 recidivism \rih-SID-uh-viz-uhm\, noun : A tendency to lapse into a previous condition or pattern of behavior; especially, a falling back or relapse into prior criminal habits.

Word of the Day for Tuesday, October 23, 2007 inimical \ih-NIM-ih-kul\, adjective : 1. Having the disposition or temper of an enemy; unfriendly; unfavorable. 2. Opposed in tendency, influence, or effects; antagonistic; adverse.

Word of the Day for Monday, October 22, 2007 flummery \FLUHM-uh-ree\, noun : 1. A name given to various sweet dishes made with milk, eggs, flour, etc. 2. Empty compliment; unsubstantial talk or writing; mumbo jumbo; nonsense.

Word of the Day for Thursday, October 18, 2007 abscond \ab-SKOND\, intransitive verb : To depart secretly; to steal away and hide oneself -- used especially of persons who withdraw to avoid arrest or prosecution.

Word of the Day for Wednesday, October 17, 2007 extant \EK-stunt; ek-STANT\, adjective : Still existing; not destroyed, lost, or extinct.

Word of the Day for Tuesday, October 16, 2007 quotidian \kwoh-TID-ee-uhn\, adjective : 1. Occurring or returning daily; as, a quotidian fever. 2. Of an everyday character; ordinary; commonplace.