Complaisant is an adjective that means willing to please others.

The Latin word complacere (com pla SER ay) means ‘to please.’ In addition to our word of the day, it has given birth to words like complacent and comply. Complaisant is often used to describe a person’s temperament. Example:

Mike’s complaisant demeanor makes him a great bartender. But at the same time, being so eager to please didn't make him a great prison guard.

Accede is a verb that means to assent or agree to a demand.

The Latin word cedere (say DARE ay) means ‘to give away’ or ‘yield.’ The word can be used in a wide variety of ways. Here’s one example:

My wife and I try not to accede to the demands of our two-year-old in the midst of a tantrum. But sometimes we just can’t resist. Yielding to his need for a cookie was an example from last night’s fit.

Divers is an adjective that means of varying types or several.

Coming from the Latin word diversus (die VER suess) our word of the day shares it origin with the word diverse and has a similar meaning. The difference is divers is a more literary word. Example:

The divers animals on display at the habitat made us swoon with delight. There were so many species I felt we’d stumbled onto a zoo without cages.

Unshirted is an adjective that means undisguised or plain.

Coming from two common English words, unshirted can simply mean ‘not wearing a shirt,’ but it also means ‘without a disguise.’ Here’s an example of it in use:

It seems to me that the mayor would have been better off making unshirted demands instead of disguising his needs with fancy words. The more plain his speech, the easier it is to accommodate him.

Abstruse is an adjective that means difficult to understand or obscure.

Abstrusus (ab STREW soos) is a Latin word for ‘put away hidden.’ From this word, came abstruse. Often used in a literary context, It can be thought of as synonym of words like arcane and esoteric.

Conrad’s books are brilliantly written, but I find them abstruse. Even after three or four readings, I have no idea what they’re about.

Sine Die is an adverb that means without plans for resumption.

Our word of the day is derived from a Latin phrase that literally translates to ‘without a day.’ But it’s best understood as meaning ‘with no more further days.’ Sine die is generally used in legal contexts or business contexts. Here’s an example:

Wendy was hoping the matter would be discussed at future meetings, but they ended things sine die, so that ended all hope of continuing the conversation.

Imprimatur is a noun that refers to a person’s acceptance or guarantee that something is of a good standard.

The Latin verb imprimere (Im pre MEER ay) means ‘to print.’ The Roman Catholic has historically printed an ecclesiastical and religious books as a means of given their approval to them. Since entering the English language in the mid 17th century, the word’s meaning has broadened and is now often used outside of the realm of religion. Here’s an example:

My favorite seafood restaurant offers gives the chef’s imprimatur on every dish. It’s great to see this man I respect giving his approval on their food.

Countervail is a verb that means to offset the effect of something.

The Latin phrase contra Valere (CONE tra vah LARE ay) means ‘be of worth against.’ When we countervail something, we create an equal weight. Here’s an example:

My attempt to countervail all the awful music my students listened to by playing opera in the classroom was not met with open arms. They simply didn’t want their awful music to be offset by my awful music.

Ubiety is a noun that refers to the quality or state of being in a place.

The Latin word ubi (OOH bee) means ‘where’ and the suffix I-E-T-Y means ‘city.’ When combined, we get a word for the state of being in a definite location.

Carl’s ubiety is not known for certain. But we know him well enough to know that whatever his location is, there must be a donut shop nearby.

Oligopoly is a state of limited competition.

The root word of oligopoly, oligarch means a very rich business leader with a great deal of political influence. It comes from a Greek combination of words that mean ‘few’ and ‘to rule.’ When a condition in which few people rule has been reached, it can be called an oligopoly. Here’s an example:

Tracy thinks an oligopoly wouldn’t be a bad thing necessarily. Her reasoning is that living in a world of limited competition would be great as long as that competition is between ice cream parlors she likes.