Deify is a verb that means to glorify or worship.

The Latin word deus (DAY oos) means ‘god’ and the literal translation of our word of the day is ‘to make a god.’ But the word may be used in a lighter context to simply mean ‘elevate as if a god.’

The people of this town are enormous baseball fans. The day I hit three home runs, everyone wanted to deify me.

Sidereal is an adjective that means related to the stars.

The Latin word sidus (SEE doos) means star. This is the origin of our word of the day. If you’ve ever heard the term sidereal time, you know that this phrase refers to a measurement of time based on a motion of the fixed stars.

It was lovely to walk home in the sidereal glow of the evening. The light of the stars has always looked so beautiful to me.

Puerile is an adjective that means childish or silly.

Our word of the day traces its origin to the Latin word puer (POO air) meaning ‘boy’  or ‘child.’ Puerile is basically the adjective form of the word that means ‘like a child.’ But keep in mind that calling someone or something puerile is never a compliment, so think ‘childish’ not ‘childlike.’

I embarrassed myself at work by making a number of puerile comments that day. It isn’t like me to make such silly remarks.

Nebbish is a noun that refers to a timid or submissive person.

Our word of the day is one of many words that originated in Yiddish, a language that began as a German dialect with words from Hebrew and several modern languages. Nebbish has evolved from the word for ‘poor’ and ‘unfortunate.’

I was kind of a nebbish as a kid. I didn’t have the courage to stand up for myself at all.

Mephitic is an adjective that means foul-smelling.

Our word of the day has its origin in Latin, where the word mephitis (MEH fit iss) means ‘noxious vapor.’ It is also personified as a goddess believed to have the power to avert it. Today mephitis retains its original meaning and mephitic may be used to describe something related to mephitis or it may be used more broadly to refer to anything foul-smelling.

I was looking forward to the weekend at the cabin until we reached the mephitic bedroom. That foul scent was a horrible distraction.

Paean is a noun that means a tribute or thing that expresses enthusiastic praise.

According to Greek mythology, Paean was the physician to the gods. The word later came to refer to hymns that were sung to praise the gods. More recently it is used to refer to any tribute — musical or otherwise.

The article about the football team was really a paean to its head coach. It praised him for his guidance and wisdom in spite of the team’s pathetic four-and-ten record.

Hegemony is a noun that refers to a dominance or authority over others.

The Greek word hēgeisthai (hee GAYE sty) is a verb that means ‘to lead.’ By the mid-16th century the word had been imported into English where it referred to the control once wielded by the ancient Greek states and, in later centuries it was reapplied to other nations that rose to power. In contemporary use, hegemony may refer to any kind of dominance or power.

The hegemony of those large conglomerates over smaller business can make things difficult for a small business owner. Under dominance of larger companies, it isn’t easy to find a customer base.

Phalanx is a noun that refers to an organized body of persons.

Our word of the day comes directly from Greek where it refers to an infantry of soldiers. More recently it simply refers to a large group of people, usually a group that is united for a singular purpose. The police were intimidated by the phalanx of protesters at the school. A large body of people determined to get change can frighten anyone.

Aeolian is an adjective that means related to or caused by the wind.

The Greek god Aeolus is the god of the winds. From this we get our word of the day which may refer either to something caused by the wind or in some way connected to the wind.

The windstorm made a huge mess in my backyard last night. All that Aeolian chaos is terrible for my garden.

Cerebrate is a verb that means to use the mind or reason.

You may recognize the Latin derived ‘cerebrum — a synonym of ‘brain’ — as cerebrate’s root word. Our word of the day simply adds the suffix ATE to indicate a state or function. It’s hard to cerebrate with all the noise going on outside. I’ll need more quiet if I hope to put my mind to use.