Tohubohu is a noun that refers to a state of chaos.

Our word of the day comes directly from Hebrew as a word that means ‘emptiness and desolation.’ Since being imported into English, tohubohu’s definition has shifted slightly to refer to a condition of bedlam and disorder. Here’s an example of it in use:

We made every effort to bring order to all the tohubohu of the day, but it wasn’t easy. With that much chaos, there’s only so much you can do to make things orderly.

Infix is a noun that refer to letters added to a word to change meaning.

The Latin word figere (fig AIR ay) means ‘to fasten.’ From this word we get infix which has a meaning similar to figere. Although it has other uses, It is generally used when referring to language. Here’s an example:

I got a text from Greg that said he didn’t car about the game. This puzzled me until he later infixed the word ‘car’ to change its meaning to ‘care.’

Apollonian is an adjective that means related to the rational, ordered and self-disciplined aspects of human nature.

According to Greek mythology, the god Apollo was noted for his orderly and disciplined demeanor. Those who embody those traits  deserve to be thought of as Apollonian.

Eric was a strong candidate for the position, but in the end, he lacked the Apollonian categories we were seeking. Not only did he show up late for the interview, but he didn’t have the discipline to remain until the end.

Gradely is an adjective that means decent and orderly.

Our word of the day comes from Middle English and when used as an adjective it is a synonym of words like worthy and upstanding. It can also be used as an adverb that means the same as properly and suitably. Here’s an example of gradely used as an adjective:

The Prince’s gradely demeanor made him a favorite of the court. But, as we soon saw, upstanding behavior alone does not make for a successful king.

Isochronous is an adjective that means occurring at the same time.

Our word of the day comes directly from Greek, and holds the same pronunciation and meaning today. Here’s an example:

I was always under the impression that the American civil war and the Protestant reformation in Europe were isochronous events. But after studying history a little, I discovered the two things did not take place at the same time.

Integument is a noun that refers to a tough, outer protective layer.

Our word of the day comes almost directly from the Latin word integumentum (in teg you MEN toom) which means ‘covering, shield or wrapping.’ The word is often used in reference to an animal’s outer shell or protective skin, but here’s an example that can be used in reference to humans:

When it gets this cold outside, I wish I had some kind of an integument to protect me from the single digit weather. Of course, this added layer of skin wouldn’t be such a good thing in the summer.

Zeugma is a noun that refers to a figure of speech in which a word applies to two others in different senses.

The Greek word zugon (ZOO gone) means ‘to yoke.’ Our word of the day refers to a situation where two different meanings are yoked into one. Example:

When I said, ‘Corey opened his door and his mind to the strangers who entered his home,’ my son didn’t understand that I was using a zeugma. But I suppose at his age, he doesn’t yet grasp the idea of a figure of speech.

Acrostic is a noun that refers to a poem, word puzzle or other composition in which certain letters in each line form a word or phrase.

Our word of the day comes from the combination of various Greek words for ‘end,’ ‘row,’ and ‘verse.’ An acrostic is often  a puzzle that someone must figure out, but other times it is a word like ‘scuba,’ which is an acrostic that stands for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. Here’s an example of the word acrostic used in a sentence:

I’ve always been a fan of acrostics. It’s not always easy to figure out the word that is being spelled out, but that’s a big part of the fun.

Antepenultimate is an adjective that means the third from last in a series.

The Latin word ultimare (OOL tea mare ay) means ‘come to an end.’ If something is the ultimate in a series, it is the last. The penultimate is the second to last, and the antepenultimate is the third from last. Here’s an example of it in use:

When searching for restaurants, our antepenultimate option was a place called Shelly’s Diner. With all due respect, we should have waited for the penultimate choice. Or maybe the ultimate choice.

Totemic is an adjective that means regarded as being symbolic or representative of a quality.

The word totem comes from Ojibway and refers to a symbol that embodies a family or clan. If something is totemic it is regarded as representative of a particular quality.

We found a seafood restaurant in Maine that was totemic of the state’s food. In every way it reminded us of everything we loved about Maine’s cuisine.