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Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2022/February

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2022
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1

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Word of the day
for February 1
hongbao n
  1. In some Chinese communities, a decorated paper envelope, traditionally red, containing a gift of money (lucky money) presented during special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and the Chinese New Year; also, the gift of money presented in such an envelope.

  Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year in 2022.

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3

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Word of the day
for February 3
luge v (intransitive)
  1. To ride a luge; also, to participate in the sport of luge.
  2. (figuratively) To slide or slip down a slope.

luge n

  1. (countable) A racing sled for one or two people that is ridden with the rider or riders lying on their back.
  2. (by extension)
    1. (uncountable) The sport of racing on luges.
    2. (countable) A piece of bone, ice or other material with a channel down which a drink (usually alcoholic) can be poured into someone's mouth.

  The 2022 Winter Olympics begin tomorrow in Beijing, China.

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4

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Word of the day
for February 4
carcinoma n (oncology)
  1. (countable) An invasive malignant tumour derived from epithelial tissue that tends to metastasize to other areas of the body.
  2. (obsolete, countable) A form of cancer; (uncountable) cancer in general as a disease.

  Today is World Cancer Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.

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5

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Word of the day
for February 5
prince regent n
  1. A prince who rules a country as a regent in place of a monarch who is unfit to rule for whatever reason.

  Due to the mental incapacity of George III of the United Kingdom, his son George, Prince of Wales, became Prince Regent on this day in 1811 until 29 January 1820 when the king died and the regent ascended the throne as George IV.

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6

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Word of the day
for February 6
treaty n
  1. (countable, international law) A formal binding agreement concluded by subjects of international law, namely, states and international organizations; a convention, a pact.
  2. (archaic)
    1. (uncountable) Chiefly in in treaty: discussions or negotiations in order to reach an agreement.
    2. (countable) Chiefly in private treaty: an agreement or settlement reached following negotiations; a compact, a contract, a covenant.
  3. (obsolete)
    1. (uncountable) The manner or process of treating someone or something; treatment; also, the manner in which someone or something acts or behaves; behaviour.
    2. (uncountable) The addressing or consideration of a subject; discussion, treatment.
    3. (countable) A formal, systematic discourse on some subject; a treatise.
    4. (countable) An act of beseeeching or entreating; an entreaty, a plea, a request.

treaty v

  1. (transitive) To get into (a specific situation) through a treaty.
  2. (intransitive) To enter into a treaty.

  Today is Waitangi Day, the national day of New Zealand. It marks the anniversary of the initial signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, which is regarded as the founding document of the nation, on this day in 1840.

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7

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Word of the day
for February 7
Dickensian adj
  1. Of, pertaining to, or created by the English author Charles Dickens.
  2. Similar to Dickens' writing style, especially in commenting on society, or in using emotion, humour, or rich descriptions.
  3. Reminiscent of the environments and situations most commonly portrayed in Dickens' writings, such as poverty, social injustice, and other aspects of Victorian England.

Dickensian n

  1. A person who admires or studies the works of Charles Dickens.

  Charles Dickens was born on this day 210 years ago in 1812.

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8

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Word of the day
for February 8
gemmule n
  1. (biology)
    1. (archaic) Synonym of gemma (“an asexual reproductive structure, as found in animals such as hydra (genus Hydra) and plants such as liverworts (division Marchantiophyta), consisting of a cluster of cells from which a new individual can develop”)
      1. (specifically, zoology) A small gemma or bud of dormant embryonic cells produced by some freshwater sponges (phylum Porifera) that develops into a new sponge.
    2. (historical) In the obsolete theory of pangenesis propounded by the English scientist Charles Darwin (1809–1882): a hypothetical particle once thought to be the basis of heredity.
  2. (botany) Synonym of plumule (“the first bud, or growing point, of a plant embryo, situated above the cotyledons”)
  3. (neurology) Synonym of dendritic spine (“a small membranous protrusion from the dendrite of a neuron that typically receives input from a single axon at the synapse”)
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9

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Word of the day
for February 9
petty adj
  1. (often derogatory)
    1. Having little or no importance.
    2. Of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; begrudging, selfish, small-minded; also, preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns.
  2. (historical) Of or relating to the lowest grade or level of school; junior, primary.
  3. (obsolete except in set phrases)
    1. Little or small in size.
    2. Secondary in importance or rank; minor, subordinate.

petty n

  1. (dialectal, euphemistic, informal) An outbuilding used as a lavatory; an outhouse, a privy.
  2. (historical) A class or school for young schoolboys.
  3. (obsolete, chiefly in the plural, also figuratively) A little schoolboy, either in grade or size.
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10

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Word of the day
for February 10
roughage n
  1. Originally (archaic), garbage, rubbish, or waste; later (agriculture) the portions of a crop which are discarded, such as husks, stalks, etc.; also, agricultural waste such as weeds.
  2. (agriculture) Coarse or rough plant material such as hay and silage used as animal fodder.
  3. (nutrition) Substances, generally of plant origin, consisting mostly of complex carbohydrates which are undigested when eaten by humans, and which therefore help the passage of food and waste through the alimentary tract; dietary fibre.

  Today is World Pulses Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to highlight the nutritional value of pulses and their contribution to sustainable food production and combating malnutrition. Pulses are high in, among other things, roughage or dietary fibre.

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11

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Word of the day
for February 11
digon n
  1. (geometry) A polygon having two edges and two vertices.
  2. (graph theory)
    1. A pair of parallel undirected edges in a multigraph.
    2. A pair of antiparallel edges in a directed graph.

  Today is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, which is recognized by the United Nations to highlight the critical role that women and girls play in science and technology communities.

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12

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Word of the day
for February 12
antinomy n
  1. (archaic) A contradiction within a law, or between different laws; also, a contradiction between authorities.
  2. (by extension) Any contradiction or paradox.
    1. (specifically, epistemology, logic) In the thought of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804): an apparent contradiction between valid conclusions; a paradox.

  Immanuel Kant died on this day in 1804.

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13

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Word of the day
for February 13
popular beat combo n
  1. (British, music, humorous or ironic) A pop group.

  Today is World Radio Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to highlight the importance of radio for sharing information, promoting diversity of ideas, and reaching remote communities and vulnerable people, and its role in emergency communication during disasters. United Nations Radio was established on this day in 1946.

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14

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Word of the day
for February 14
dreamboat n (originally US)
  1. (informal, dated or humorous) An exceptionally good-looking and sexually attractive person, particularly a man.
  2. (slang, archaic) Anything considered highly desirable for its kind, especially a car.

  Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at the English Wiktionary!

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15

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16

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Word of the day
for February 16
begrime v
  1. (transitive) To ingrain grime or dirt which is difficult to remove into (something); also (more generally), to make (something) dirty; to soil.
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17

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Word of the day
for February 17
go postal v
  1. (intransitive, chiefly US, informal) To become aggressive and erratic, especially due to stress; specifically, to carry out a shooting spree at a workplace environment; also (more generally) to become very angry; to lose one's temper.
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18

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Word of the day
for February 18
thew n
  1. (chiefly in the plural, also figuratively)
    1. An attractive physical attribute; also, physical, mental, or moral strength or vigour.
    2. An aspect of the body which indicates physical strength; hence, muscle and/or sinew; muscular development.
  2. (obsolete, chiefly in the plural)
    1. A way of behaving; hence, a characteristic, a trait.
    2. (specifically) A good characteristic or habit; a virtue. [...]
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19

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20

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Word of the day
for February 20
square meal n
  1. (idiomatic) A (nutritionally) complete and satisfying meal, especially one suitable for a person performing physical labour.

  Today is the World Day of Social Justice, which is recognized by the United Nations to acknowledge the need to promote social justice, including efforts to tackle issues such as exclusion, gender equality, human rights, poverty, social protections, and unemployment.

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21

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22

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Word of the day
for February 22
meridian n
  1. (astronomy)
    1. In full celestial meridian: a great circle passing through the poles of the celestial sphere and the zenith for a particular point on the Earth's surface.
    2. (also geography) In full terrestrial meridian: a great circle on the Earth's surface, passing through the geographic poles (the terrestrial North Pole and South Pole); also, half of such a circle extending from pole to pole, all points of which have the same longitude.
  2. (by extension)
    1. The place on the celestial meridian where it is crossed by the sun or a star at its highest point.
      1. (figuratively) The highest or most developed point, or most splendid stage, of something; culmination, peak, zenith.
      2. (figuratively, specifically) Chiefly followed by of: the middle period of someone's life, when they are at their full abilities or strength; one's prime.
    2. A ring or half-ring with markings in which an artificial globe is installed and may spin.
    3. (mathematics) A line passing through the poles of any sphere; a notional line on the surface of a curved or round body (in particular, an eyeball).
  3. (US, printing, dated) The size of type between double great primer and canon, standardized as 44-point.
  4. (obsolete)
    1. The south.
    2. Midday, noon.
    3. A midday rest; a siesta.
    4. A particular area or situation considered as having a specific characteristic or identity; also, the characteristics, habits, or tastes of a specific group, locale, etc.
    5. (Scotland) An alcoholic drink taken at midday.

[...]

  1. (acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine) Any of the pathways on the body along which chi or qi (life force) is thought to flow and, therefore, the acupoints are distributed; especially, one of twelve such pathways associated with organs of the body.

meridian adj

  1. Relating to a meridian (in various senses); meridional.
  2. (archaic except literary) Relating to midday or noon.
  3. (obsolete)
    1. Relating to the culmination or highest point.
    2. Relating to the south; meridional, southern.

meridian v (rare, also figuratively)

  1. (transitive) To cause an object to reach the meridian or highest point of (something).
  2. (intransitive) Of a celestial body: to reach its meridian.
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23

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Word of the day
for February 23
redargue v
  1. (transitive)
    1. (obsolete except Scotland, law)
      1. To disprove or refute (someone) in an argument.
      2. To rebut or refute (an argument, a proposition, etc.).
    2. (obsolete)
      1. Often followed by for or of: to censure, to rebuke, to reprove (someone or something).
      2. (rare) To argue (a case, proposition, etc.) against someone.
  2. (intransitive, obsolete) To present a disproof or refutation of an argument, a person, etc.
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24

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Word of the day
for February 24
magistery n
  1. (chiefly historical)
    1. (countable, alchemy, also figuratively)
      1. A pure quality with the power to cure or to turn one substance into another; also, a substance such as a philosopher's stone able to turn one substance into another.
      2. (obsolete) The product of such a transformation.
    2. (countable, chemistry)
      1. A fine substance deposited by precipitation, formerly applied to certain white precipitates from metallic solutions.
      2. (obsolete) A concentrated extract of a substance.
  2. (obsolete)
    1. (countable) An art or a skill.
    2. (countable) Synonym of magistracy (“the dignity or office of a magistrate; the collective body of magistrates”)
    3. (countable, pharmacology, veterinary medicine) A medicine prepared for a specific use.
    4. (uncountable) The quality possessed by a master; authority, mastership, mastery; also, the exercise of authority.
    5. (uncountable, Roman Catholicism) Synonym of magisterium (“the teaching authority or office of the Roman Catholic Church”)
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25

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26

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Word of the day
for February 26
gig n (informal)
  1. Originally (music), a performing engagement by a musician or musical group; (by extension, film, television, theater) a job or role for a performer.
  2. (by extension) Any job, especially one that is freelance or temporary, or done on an on-demand basis.
  3. (US, military) A demerit received for some infraction of a military deportment or dress code.

[...]

  1. (informal, computing) Clipping of gigabyte (“one billion (1,000,000,000) bytes”).
  2. (slang, chiefly sciences) Any unit of measurement having the SI prefix giga-.

[...]

  1. Senses relating to vehicles.
    1. (nautical)
      1. A small, narrow, open boat carried in a larger ship, and used for transportation between the ship and the shore, another vessel, etc.
      2. (Southern England, by extension) A similar rowing boat or sailboat, especially one used for racing; specifically, a six-oared sea rowing boat commonly found in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
    2. (road transport, historical) A two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse.

[...]

  1. (fishing) Synonym of fishgig or fizgig (“a spear with a barb on the end of it, used for catching fish, frogs, or other small animals”).
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27

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28

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Word of the day
for February 28
daylight robbery n (idiomatic, informal)
  1. (uncountable) The practice of cheating or of imposing an exorbitant charge for a product or service; (countable, rare) an instance of this.
  2. (chiefly sports, uncountable) Conduct which unfairly deprives an opponent of an advantage or a win; (countable, rare) an instance of this.

  Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 which resulted in the taking of some £2.6 million from a Royal Mail train, died on this day in 2013.

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