Memoriter is an adjective that means memorized by heart.

Our word of the day has the same Latin origin of words like ‘memory’ and ‘memoir.’ To commit something to your memory is to commit it memoriter. Here’s an example of memoriter in use:

That poem has remained in my head since the sixth grade when I had to learn it memoriter. Although I still have it memorized, I haven’t had a need to recite it a single time.

Prelapsarian is an adjective that means pertaining to an innocent or carefree period.

The Latin word labi means ‘to fall.’ By adding the prefix P-R-E, we get a word that means ‘before the fall.’ Here is an example of prelapsarian in use:

In the prelapsarian days of Chuck’s youth, he had fun nearly every day. But moving away from his peaceful country changed everything. In an instance, the innocence was gone.

Phlegethon is a noun that refers to a fiery light.

Coming directly from Greek, our word of the day once referred to a river of fire. More recently, it can refer to any fiery light. Here’s an example:

The five of us nearly got lost in the woods. If it weren’t for that phlegethon in the distance, we wouldn’t have seen anything.

Defenestrate is a verb that means to dismiss someone.

The Latin word fenstra (fen EST rah) means ‘window.’ Our word of the day initially meant ‘to throw something out of the window.’ These days defenestrate is used more metaphorically. Here’s an example:

Because I was a rookie at the firm, everyone tended to defenestrate my ideas as soon as they left my mouth. It didn’t feel good to have those thoughts dismissed, but that’s how it goes when you’re the new guy.

Flump is a verb that means to sit or fall down heavily.

The origin or our word of the day is unclear, but it seems to be imitative in nature, in other words, flump seems to have come from an attempt to imitate the sound of someone or something falling onto something. Here’s an example of flump in use:

I was so exhausted after the race that I was afraid I’d flump to the ground after crossing the finish line. Luckily I didn’t fall down until I got to my car seat.

Callow is an adjective that means inexperienced and immature.

Our word of the day is derived from the Latin word calvus (KAL voose) which means ‘bald.’ This was often used to describe a young man who hadn’t come of age. As the word drifted into Old English and later evolved into callow, it came to mean ‘immature.’

At the time I made all those mistakes in life, I was too callow to understand what I was doing. Later in life, my maturity made me realize how foolish those mistakes were.

Embracery is a noun that refers to an attempt to threaten or bribe a jury.

Coming from Middle English, our word of the day is commonly used in legal contexts. Here’s an example of embracery in use:

Having lunch with members of the jury is never a good idea from a trial attorney because it can create the impression of embacery. Even if your intentions are pure, it may seem is though you’re trying to influence them in an unethical way.

Hegira is a noun that refers to a trip to a more desirable location.

Coming from an Arabic word for ‘departure,’ hegira came to English in the late 16th century. It was initially used in a spiritual context, referring to a trip to Mecca, but it can now be used to refer to any trip or migration made with the intention of improving one’s life.

After twelve years of living in the frozen climates of Minnesota, our hegira to Florida was wonderful. It felt like summer every day of the year.

Apopemptic is an adjective that means related to departing.

Our word of the day began in Greek as a synonym of dismiss. In time, it came to refer to a song delivered to someone upon departure. After its importation into English, it became an adjective that is roughly a synonym of parting, for example:

When he quit the office, Steve’s apopemptic advice was to make sure I got the desk closest to the copy machine. These parting words were the wisest ones he’d ever spoken.

Paletot is a noun that refers to a loose outer jacket.

Coming from Middle English, our word of the day was later brought into French. Here’s an example of paletot in use:

It looked to me that Janine’s fur coat was way too warm for a late summer day. So I wore a paletot, but found it was too cold for that. Some days make it hard to find the right medium.