Podcasts about Vocabulary

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 15, 2025 is: askance • uh-SKANSS • adverb Askance means "in a way that shows a lack of trust or approval" or "with a side-glance."   // I couldn't help but look askance at the dealer's assurances that the car had never been in an accident. // Several people eyed them askance when they walked into the room. See the entry > Examples: "In other cultures they might look askance at such a gnarly, leggy thing wedged into a loaf. But we know that a whole fried soft shell crab is one of the gifts of southeast Louisiana's robust seafood heritage." — Ian McNulty, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate Online, 1 May 2025 Did you know? As with the similar word side-eye, writers over the years have used askance literally when someone is looking with a side-glance and figuratively when such a glance is conveying disapproval or distrust. Back in the days of Middle English you could use askaunce and a-skans and a-skaunces to mean “in such a way that,” “as if to say,” and “artificially, deceptively.” It's likely that askance developed from these forms, with some help from asqwynt meaning “obliquely, askew.” Askance was first used in the 16th century with the meaning "sideways" or "with a sideways glance.”

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 14, 2025 is: perpetuity • per-puh-TOO-uh-tee • noun Perpetuity refers to a state of continuing forever or for a very long time. // The property will be passed on from generation to generation in perpetuity.   See the entry > Examples: “This isn't new territory for the band—beginning with 2018's Modern Meta Physic, Peel Dream Magazine have taken cues from bands like Stereolab and Pram, exploring the ways that rigid, droning repetition can make time feel rubbery. As they snap back into the present, Black sings, ‘Millions of light years, all of them ours.' The past and future fold into themselves, braided together in perpetuity.” — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 4 Sept. 2024 Did you know? Perpetuity is a “forever” word—not in the sense that it relates to a lifelong relationship (as in “forever home”), but because it concerns the concept of, well, forever. Not only can perpetuity refer to infinite time, aka eternity, but it also has specific legal and financial uses, as for certain arrangements in wills and for annuities that are payable forever, or at least for the foreseeable future. The word ultimately comes from the Latin adjective perpetuus, meaning “continual” or “uninterrupted.” Perpetuus is the ancestor of several additional “forever” words, including the verb perpetuate (“to cause to last indefinitely”) and the adjective perpetual (“continuing forever,” “occurring continually”). A lesser known descendent, perpetuana, is now mostly encountered in historical works, as it refers to a type of durable wool or worsted fabric made in England only from the late 16th through the 18th centuries. Alas, nothing is truly forever.

In this eye-opening episode, we dive deep into 9 proven methods to finally understand fast native English speech. If you've ever felt lost when native speakers talk at their natural pace, this episode is your roadmap to breakthrough comprehension.We'll explore practical techniques like the Mirror Method for matching native speaker rhythm, the Accent Adventure for adapting to diverse English accents worldwide, and the Detective Game that helps you fill in gaps when you miss words. You'll discover how the Speed Challenge trains your ears like an athlete, while the Mind Reader technique teaches you to anticipate what speakers will say next.The episode also covers real-world listening strategies including the Real World Challenge for maintaining comprehension in noisy environments, the Phrase Hunter method for processing language in meaningful chunks rather than individual words, and the Culture Key for understanding references that textbooks never teach. Finally, we'll explore the Emotion Reader technique to help you understand the feelings behind the words.Each method includes practical, actionable exercises you can start implementing today to transform your English listening skills and finally understand native speakers with confidence.If you want to sign up for the free English email newsletter, go to https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/newsletter

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 13, 2025 is: consummate • KAHN-suh-mut • adjective Someone or something described as consummate is very skilled or accomplished. Consummate can also mean “of the highest degree” and “complete in every detail.” The adjective is always used before the noun it describes. // Ever the consummate professional, the planner ensured that no one attending the event was aware of all the elements that had not gone as planned. See the entry > Examples: “... KEM's legacy serves as a blueprint for excellence. Offstage, his charm extends beyond the microphone. Friends and collaborators describe him as a consummate gentleman and leader with an infectious sense of humor.” — Raquelle Harris, Vibe, 25 July 2025 Did you know? Consummate is a consummate example of a word that's shifted in meaning over the centuries. A 15th century addition to the language ultimately from Latin consummare, meaning “to sum up, finish,” the word first described something that has been brought to completion. Shakespeare used the word this way in Measure for Measure: “Do you the office, friar; which consummate, Return him here again.” By the early 16th century consummate had taken on the meaning of “complete in every detail.” Today it usually describes someone or something extremely skilled and accomplished, but it can also describe that which is supremely excellent, as well as that which is simply extreme.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 12, 2025 is: flummox • FLUM-uks • verb To flummox someone is to confuse or perplex them. // The actor was easily flummoxed by last-minute changes to the script. See the entry > Examples: “If Thursday crosswords flummox you, remember that it's much better for your stress level to do your best and sharpen your skills than to become angry because you aren't sure what's going on.” — Deb Amlen, The New York Times, 11 June 2025 Did you know? When it comes to the origins of flummox, etymologists are, well, flummoxed. No one really knows where the word comes from. The first known print use of the verb flummox appeared in Charles Dickens' novel The Pickwick Papers in the mid-1830s, while the adjective flummoxed appeared italicized a few years earlier in a Dublin newspaper article about laborers striking against employers who oppose their rights: “Lord Cloncurry is actually flummoxed. The people refuse to work for him.” To be flummoxed by something is to be utterly confused by it—that is, to be baffled, puzzled, bewildered, completely unable to understand. Fortunately, a word can be used even if everyone is flummoxed by its etymology, and by the end of the 19th century, flummox had become quite common in both British and American English.

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 11, 2025 is: zoomorphic • zoh-uh-MOR-fik • adjective Zoomorphic describes things that have the form of an animal. // The local bakery is famous for its wide variety of zoomorphic treats, from “hedgehog” dinner rolls to delicate, swan-shaped pastries. See the entry > Examples: “The oldest known ceramics come from a handful of sites in the Czech Republic and date back to about 28,000 B.C.E., roughly 10,000 years after the Neanderthals went extinct. A now iconic figure of a woman and assorted ceramics were found at a Czech site called Dolni Vestonice in 1925. Additional anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines were found over the ensuing decades, and in 2002 fingerprints were discovered on many of the objects.” — Jaimie Seaton, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2024 Did you know? The first-known use of zoomorphic in English is a translation of the French word zoomorphique, used in a mid-19th century book on paleography to describe an ornately designed Greek letter in a manuscript from the Middle Ages: “The text commences with a zoomorphic letter, formed of two winged dragons, united by the tails, the open space being ornamented with elegant arabesques, composed of leaves and flowers …” The zoo in zoomorphique comes from the Greek noun zôion, meaning “animal,” and morphique from morphē, meaning “form.” The translation of zoomorphique to zoomorphic made perfect sense given the the existence of a similarly constructed word, anthropomorphic (“having human form”), which made its debut half a century earlier.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 10, 2025 is: griot • GREE-oh • noun The term griot refers to any of a class of musician-entertainers of western Africa whose performances include tribal histories and genealogies. The term is also used broadly to refer to a storyteller. // Tracing her family lineage back to West African griots inspired the singer to focus on storytelling through her music. See the entry > Examples: “Music is both the subject and mechanism of Sinners, which opens with a voiceover history of how some musicians, dating back to the West African griots, have been seen as conduits between this world and the one beyond.” — Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2025 Did you know? In many West African countries, the role of cultural guardian is maintained, as it has been for centuries, by griots. Griot—a borrowing from French—refers to an oral historian, musician, storyteller, and sometimes praise singer. (Griots are called by other names as well: jeli or jali in Mande and gewel in Wolof, for example). Griots preserve the genealogies, historical narratives, and oral traditions of their tribes. Among the instruments traditionally played by griots are two lutes: the long-necked, 21-string kora, and the khalam, thought by some to be the ancestor of the banjo.

“You can’t think a thought if you don’t have the words to think it.” In this episode, Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker talk about how building vocabulary enhances thinking skills. Throughout IEW’s history, thinking about words and their meanings has been incorporated into nearly all of our courses. Listen as Andrew and Julie discuss how we teach vocabulary and why it is important to teach it in the context of other courses. Referenced Materials Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization A Word Write Now Structure and Style® for Students Fix It!® Grammar Theme-Based Writing Lessons The Phonetic Zoo spelling program If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 9, 2025 is: insinuate • in-SIN-yuh-wayt • verb To insinuate something (especially something bad or insulting) is to say it in a subtle or indirect way. Insinuate can also mean "to gradually make (oneself) a part of a group, a person's life, etc., often by behaving in a dishonest way." // When the teacher questioned the students about their identical test answers, they knew she was insinuating that they had cheated. // They have managed to insinuate themselves into the city's most influential social circles. See the entry > Examples: "... when perennial talk among beachgoers about where to spend those beautiful but fleeting summer days involves rumors that, perhaps Narragansett is, say, uninviting to nonlocals, officials contend that just isn't true. 'When people say that or insinuate that Narragansett Town Beach is unfriendly or unwelcoming to nonresidents, this is absolutely untruthful,' said Parks and Recreation director Michelle Kershaw." — Christopher Gavin, The Boston Globe, 3 Nov. 2024 Did you know? Insinuating involves a kind of figurative bending or curving around your meaning: you introduce something—an idea, an accusation, a point of view—without saying it directly. The winding path is visible in the word's etymology: insinuate comes from the Latin verb sinuare, meaning "to bend or curve," which in turn comes from the Latin noun sinus, meaning "curve." The influence of Latin sinus is visible elsewhere too: in the mathematical terms sine and cosine, the adjective sinuous ("having many twists and turns"), and the noun sinus ("any of several spaces in the skull that connect with the nostrils").

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 8, 2025 is: sanguine • SANG-gwin • adjective Sanguine is a formal word that today almost always describes someone who is confident and hopeful, or something that shows confidence and hopefulness. Sanguine can also describe something that is bloodred in color, something involving or relating to bloodshed, or a person's reddish complexion. // The young group of entrepreneurs is sanguine about the future of their business. See the entry > Examples: “[David] Corenswet is remarkably sanguine about a film that has been the subject of immense scrutiny. The trailer is the most watched in the history of either DC or Warner Bros. Though he may not want the burden of Superman's success or failure on his, yes, broad shoulders, it will land there anyway.” — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 1 Apr. 2025 Did you know? If you're the sort of cheery, confident soul who always looks on the bright side no matter what happens, you may be described as sanguine. Sanguine traces back to the Latin noun sanguis, meaning “blood,” and over the centuries the word has had meanings ranging from “bloodthirsty” to “bloodred,” among other things in that (ahem) vein, so how did it also come to mean “hopeful”? During the Middle Ages, health and temperament were believed to be governed by the balance of different liquids, or humors, in one's body: phlegm, black bile, yellow bile, and blood. Those lucky people who were governed by blood were strong, confident, and even had a healthy reddish glow (all that blood, you know)—they were, in a word, sanguine. In time, the physiological theory behind the humors was displaced by scientific medicine, but the word sanguine is still commonly used to describe those who are cheerfully confident.

A description of my recent family holiday to Norway

Have you ever wondered what airport security really finds inside people's luggage? I'm talking about more than just a forgotten water bottle. Welcome to a new episode where we learn https://adeptenglish.com/company/learning-system/ English with some of the most bizarre airport security stories from around the world.Level up your English for less than the price of a coffee, get 8 exclusive, ad-free podcast episodes every month. Improve your listening skills and enjoy real English conversations. Learn more: https://adeptenglish.com/faq/subscription-faq/ Subscribe on Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/adeptenglish/subscribe or Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/learn-english-through-listening/id1134891957"If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you." Zig ZiglarIn today's English listening episode https://adeptenglish.com/english/fluency/ you'll hear about everything from a man with a baby crocodile skull in his hand luggage, I mean why? To a passenger who tried to board a plane with not one, but two live snakes in his pocket. So click play and start learning.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 7, 2025 is: behest • bih-HEST • noun Behest can refer either to an authoritative order or an urgent prompting. // The committee met again at the senator's behest. // At the behest of her friends, Marcie read the poem aloud. See the entry > Examples: “... Raymond Carver and I were selecting stories for our American Short Story Masterpieces. When Ray and I worked on our selections, we would meet in Manhattan, where I lived, or in Syracuse, New York, where he lived. ... Each morning we'd read and then meet for lunch and talk about what we'd read. After lunch we'd read some more, and at dinner we talked about the afternoon's reading. Sometimes we'd reread at the other's behest.” — Tom Jenks, LitHub.com, 2 Aug. 2024 Did you know? In Return of the Jedi, the villain Darth Vader speaks with an old-timey flair when he asks his boss, the Emperor, for instructions: “What is thy bidding, my master?” If the film's screenwriters wanted him to sound even more old-timey, however, they could have chosen to have him ask “What is thy behest?” As a word for a command or order, behest predates bidding in English by a couple centuries, dating all the way back—long, long ago, though still in this galaxy—to the 1100s. Its Old English ancestor, the noun behǣs, referred to a promise, a meaning that continued on in Middle English especially in the phrase “the land of behest” but is now obsolete. The “command” sense of behest is still in good use, typically referring to an authoritative order, whether from an emperor or some other high-ranking figure. Behest is now also used with a less forceful meaning; it can refer to an urgent prompting, as in “an anniversary showing of classic films at the behest of the franchise's fans.”

In this podcast episode, we're tackling one of the biggest challenges for English learners: sounding natural instead of robotic when speaking English. We'll explore the stark contrast between "Book English" - those formal, textbook phrases - and the relaxed, authentic expressions native speakers actually use in everyday conversation.Throughout the episode, we'll break down 21 common situations where learners often default to overly formal language, from making simple requests to expressing emotions like surprise, frustration, and excitement. For each scenario, we'll provide multiple natural alternatives that will help you sound more like a native speaker.You'll learn how to replace awkward phrases like "I am experiencing significant fatigue at this moment" with natural expressions like "I'm exhausted" or "I'm beat." We'll cover everyday speech situations including making suggestions, apologizing, describing food, expressing urgency, and much more.Whether you're struggling with sounding too formal in workplace conversations or just want to connect more authentically with native speakers, this episode will give you practical, ready-to-use alternatives that will transform how you communicate in English. Join us to leave textbook English behind and embrace the natural, conversational style that will help you connect more easily with native speakers.If you want to sign up for the free English email newsletter, go to https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/newsletter

In this podcast, you'll learn some technical vocabulary related to architecture. These words are not only useful for architects. They're also handy for more advanced students who want to talk about architecture at a deeper level. Show notes and more podcasts to improve your English at: http://www.inglespodcast.com/   Las notas del episodio y más podcasts para mejorar tu ingles están en: http://www.inglespodcast.com/  

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 6, 2025 is: mollify • MAH-luh-fye • verb To mollify someone is to make them less angry. Mollify can also mean "to reduce in intensity." // The celebrity's statement was intended to mollify critics. // Time mollified her anger. See the entry > Examples: "The philanthropic move is likely meant to mollify angry residents who are protesting against the celebrity-filled spectacle being held in their historic backyard." — Madeleine Marr, The Miami Herald, 25 June 2025 Did you know? Mollify is particularly well-suited for referring to the action of soothing emotional distress or anger and softening hard feelings: the word comes from the Latin adjective mollis, meaning "soft." Mollis is also the root of the English adjective emollient, used to describe something (such as a hand lotion) that softens or soothes, and the noun mollusk, which refers to any one of a large group of animals (such as snails and clams) that have a soft body without a backbone and that usually live in a shell.

In this beginner-friendly episode, you will learn how to talk about different tastes in Persian — like sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and spicy. First, we introduce the words one by one, and then we use them in short dialogues so you can understand and practice them in real conversations.If you'd like to go further, you can access extra learning materials on our Patreon page, www.patreon.com/podgap, including vocabulary lists, worksheets, and transcripts of this episode. These resources will help you review and practice the words more effectively.If Podgap helps you with learning the Persian language, share it with your friends. That would mean a lot to us. We can be in touch by podgapp@gmail.com

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 5, 2025 is: histrionic • hiss-tree-AH-nik • adjective Histrionic is a word used disapprovingly to describe someone or something that is too emotional or dramatic. // The head chef had a penchant for dish throwing, door slamming, and other histrionic displays of temper whenever a dish was sent back to the kitchen. See the entry > Examples: “‘Where did I put 'em?/ Where'd I misplace 'em?/ Where did I leave 'em?/ Where did you take 'em?' With a barrage of questions ... Jordan Hawkins kicks off his latest single in the throes of borderline histrionic emotional turmoil—as converted by a vocal performance that primarily trades in growls, rasp and impassioned falsetto ...” — Kyle Denis, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2025 Did you know? If you're already familiar with the history of histrionic, take a bow. But if you're still waiting (in the wings or elsewhere) to learn, we've got you covered. The adjective histrionic traces back to the Latin noun histrio, meaning “actor.” Something described as histrionic tends to recall the high drama of stage and screen, and especially the theatrical form known as melodrama, where characters have very strong or exaggerated emotions. But something that is histrionic isn't always overdone; histrionic is also used (though less frequently) simply to describe something related to acting or the theater, as in “histrionic talent/skills.” Note that the noun histrionics refers to either theatrical performances, or, more commonly, to a deliberate display of emotion for effect, as in “parents used to the child's histrionics.”

Your words are shaping your weight loss journey more than you realize. In this episode, Chris Terrell breaks down five common phrases that quietly disempower you and shows you exactly what to say instead. You'll hear how “had to,” “I can't,” “I'm just,” “I'll never,” and “I'm trying” box in your future self, drain your confidence, and keep you stuck.Chris shares his own story of retraining his language, the surprising power of the pause, and how simple tweaks to self talk can reshape your identity. By the end of this episode, you'll know how to rewrite your words so they start pulling you toward weight loss instead of away from it.If you've been skeptical about whether self talk matters, this is your practical on-ramp. No fluff—just tools you can use today.You'll LearnThe five phrases that quietly sabotage weight lossWhy silence is better than filler wordsHow to leave “wiggle room” in your future with empowering languageThe shift from “I'm trying” to “I am losing weight”Why changing your words is changing your codeResources & MentionsJoin the free Facebook community: search Becoming Thin on FacebookSubscribe on YouTube for weekly Monday livestreams and replaysStay tuned for the upcoming Calorie Tracking Introduction WorkshopCall to ActionListen in, then audit your language for 24 hours. Catch yourself when you say one of the five sabotaging phrases, pause, and reframe it. Come share your experience in the Facebook group—you might be surprised at the shift it creates.

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Take our free English-level quiz here to find out what your current English level is.  Do you love All Ears English?  Try our other podcasts here: Business English Podcast: Improve your Business English with 3 episodes per week, featuring Lindsay, Michelle, and Aubrey IELTS Energy Podcast: Learn IELTS from a former Examiner and achieve your Band 7 or higher, featuring Lindsay McMahon and Aubrey Carter with Jessica Beck in previous episodes Visit our website here or https://lnk.to/website-sn If you love this podcast, hit the follow button now so that you don't miss five fresh and fun episodes every single week.  Don't forget to leave us a review wherever you listen to the show. Send your English question or episode topic idea to support@allearsenglish.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 4, 2025 is: abeyance • uh-BAY-unss • noun Abeyance is a formal word that is almost always used in the phrase “in abeyance” to describe something in a temporary state of inactivity—that is, something in a state of suspension. // The legal case is now being held in abeyance while the parties attempt to find a mutually acceptable solution. See the entry > Examples: “A restaurant popular with college students ... will temporarily lose its liquor license for more than a week in October after the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission found multiple underage patrons consuming alcohol. ... The actual liquor license suspension issued lasts for 18 days, but only nine of those days must be served, from Oct. 7 to 15, according to the report. The other nine days ‘will be held in abeyance for a period of two years provided no further violations' are found ...” — Katelyn Umholtz, Boston.com, 12 Sept. 2024 Did you know? Jaw-dropping suspense is at the etymological heart of abeyance: the word's Anglo-French forbear joined parts meaning “to open wide” and “to have the mouth wide open; gape, pant.” Almost always partnered with the word in, abeyance refers to a temporary lull in activity—a state of suspension (and perhaps suspense) before an action continues. If something, such as a plan or contract, is in abeyance, it is temporarily unable to take effect, be enforced, etc. When first borrowed into English in the early 16th century, abeyance referred to a lapse in succession during which there exists no person with a legal right to an estate or title of nobility; think of a property or title in this type of abeyance as being in a state of limbo, waiting for a rightful heir or owner. This meaning comes directly from its Anglo-French ancestor, which took the jaw-dropping suspense implied in the word's parts and applied it to the edge-of-one's-seat feeling when you don't know who the next Earl or Countess will be.

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 3, 2025 is: trivial • TRIV-ee-ul • adjective Something described as trivial is of little worth or importance. // Although her parents initially dismissed her love of pop music as a trivial matter, it became clear as she applied to colleges with strong popular music programs that much of her life was going to be dedicated to it. See the entry > Examples: "No matter how trivial an activity might be, most people seem to feel an innate need to get better at it—whether it's kids learning double Dutch, me just shooting baskets in the driveway or somebody else proud at how much better he's getting at flipping pancakes." — David Brooks, The New York Times, 30 Mar. 2025 Did you know? When English speakers adopted the word trivial from the Latin word trivialis in the 16th century, they used it to mean just what its Latin ancestor meant: "found everywhere, commonplace." But the source of trivialis is about something more specific: trivium, from tri- ("three") and via ("way"), means "crossroads; place where three roads meet." The link between the two presumably has to do with the commonplace sorts of things a person is likely to encounter at a busy crossroads. Today, the English word typically describes something barely worth mentioning. Such judgments are, of course, subjective; feel free to mention this bit of trivia to anyone and everyone who crosses your path.

Don't worry, I'm not gonna rain on your parade today, even thought it's pouring outside here. Nope, come rain or shine, I'm always excited to bring you these podcast English lessons.Today, I thought we'd take a look at some natural rain vocabulary, along with some really common idioms and phrases that native speakers use when the skies open up. Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/plsgVisit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/My AI English Tutor is HERE

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 2, 2025 is: carp • KAHRP • verb To carp is to complain in an annoying way. // They're always carping about their boss. See the entry > Examples: “David Fincher and Brad Pitt are together again with the sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood—written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by David Fincher. ... And while I hear people carping about the wig on Brad Pitt—to quote Caddyshack, ‘you'll take what you get and like it' …” — Sasha Stone, AwardsDaily.com, 29 July 2025 Did you know? Though someone might hypothetically carp about the fish known as carp, the similarity between the words is wholly coincidental. Both entered the English language in the 15th century but from different sources. Like many terms for plants and animals adopted at that point in the language's history, the fish's name traces back to Late Latin, but the verb is of Scandinavian origin. It shares an ancestor with the Icelandic verb karpa, meaning “to dispute.” We promise there's nothing fishy about that.

В этом эпизоде мы с Юлей обсуждаем, кто такие туристы, цифровые кочевники, релоканты и мигранты. Чем они отличаются друг от друга? Как появилось слово «релокация» и почему оно стало популярным именно в последние годы? И к кому из этих категорий ближе мы сами?An educational Russian podcast episode about the words tourist, digital nomad, relocant, migrant. We explore their meanings, cultural context in modern Russia, and language usage for learners of Russian.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 1, 2025 is: epitome • ih-PIT-uh-mee • noun Epitome means "a perfect example." It is usually used in the phrase "the epitome of," as in "the epitome of elegance." // In his tailored suit and fashionable haircut, he was the very epitome of style. See the entry > Examples: "The image of Diana standing on a polo field in a white British Lung Foundation sweatshirt is one of the most iconic images of the late princess. Dressed in jeans, a baseball cap, cowboy boots and a blazer over the logo crewneck, Princess Diana—who served as patron of the foundation—looked the epitome of '80s cool." — Kristin Contino, Marie Claire, 27 June 2025 Did you know? Epitome first appeared in print in the early 16th century, when it was used to mean "summary." If someone asks you to summarize a long paper, you effectively cut it up, mentioning only the most important ideas. The etymology of epitome reflects this process: it comes from Greek epitemnein, meaning "to cut short." Your summary probably also presents all the key points of the original work, which may explain why epitome eventually came to be used for any person or object that is a clear or good example of an abstraction, as in "the epitome of grace" or "the epitome of health."

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◆ In this episode, I am talking about one of the most ancient six kilns in Japan using vocabulary and grammar from GENKI 1. (GENKI 1 is a Japanese textbook meant for beginners at JLPT N5 / CEFR A1 level.)   ◆ This story was originally released as Ep.34 in 2024. I just re-recorded it and created a listening comprehension exercise, answer key, vocabulary list and transcript for it for Patreon members, which was not available when it was first released.   ◆ Patreon monthly membership Here are the benefits for my Patreon paid members : - Full version of the podcast audio - Vocabulary lists with English translation - Transcripts - Listening comprehension exercises (These are all in Kanji with Furigana.) - Answer keys for the exercises - Photos related to the episodes with captions  Check out  my Patreon page for more information : patreon.com/JapanesewithMeg   ◆ You are cordially invited to... - leave me a review on Apple Podcast - rate my podcast on Spotify

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 31, 2025 is: simpatico • sim-PAH-tih-koh • adjective Simpatico typically describes two or more people or things with shared qualities, interests, etc. It can also describe someone who is agreeable or likeable. // Even though they weren't always simpatico with regard to the direction of their company, the pair managed to be successful partners for more than 35 years. See the entry > Examples: “From the early 2010s, when he was a young teen rapper in Chicago ... Chief Keef was flooding his Instagram with self-documentation, all of which is essentially gone now. Enter Eduard Taberner Pérez, an amateur archivist and professional graphic designer, who compiled ‘Sosa Archive,' a limited-run art book that gathers several thousand photos pulled from Keef's Instagram, presenting then in visually simpatico grids of 12.” — Jon Caramanica, The New York Times, 5 Mar. 2025 Did you know? Simpatico, which comes ultimately from the Latin noun sympathia, meaning “sympathy,” was borrowed into English from both the Italian simpatico and Spanish simpatico. In those languages, the word has been chiefly used to describe people who are well-liked or easy to get along with. Early uses of the word in English reflected those of their forebears, as in Henry James's 1881 novel The Portrait of a Lady, in which one character says of another's dying cousin, “Ah, he was so simpatico. I'm awfully sorry for you.” In recent years, however, the word has gained an additional sense describing things or people who get along well or work well together.

In this episode, we explore the letter E in our English Fluency ABCs series, diving into essential vocabulary, phrasal verbs, and American culture insights. Join me as I break down meaningful E-words including "enigmatic," "eloquent," and "emphatic," along with key expressions and language patterns that will elevate your English fluency.You'll learn: • How to use "elephant in the room" to address uncomfortable topics that everyone knows about but avoids discussing • The meaning and application of the expression "every cloud has a silver lining" for finding positivity in difficult situations • Three practical phrasal verbs: "end up," "eat out," and "ease off" with real-world usage examples • The "Even though..." sentence pattern to express contrast or concession in your English conversations • Key insights about the American education system and its unique characteristicsPlus, I'll share "The Eleventh-Hour English Adventure," a comprehensive story that incorporates all the E-focused vocabulary and expressions in context, helping you understand how to use these elements naturally in conversation.Resource Available: FluencyPanion Notebook: https://shop.speakenglishwithtiffani.com/products/fluencypanion-your-english-fluency-notebook 365-Day English Study Plan: https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/365planIf you want to sign up for the free English email newsletter, go to https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/newsletter

Welcome to the First Presbyterian Church, New Bern Podcast! Join us weekly for our Sermon and Benediction. The full service can be found on our Youtube channel (link below). See more on our website!First Presbyterian Church, New Bern, North Carolina, established in 1817. A Congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Building community, transforming lives, engaging the world.See more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstpresnb.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on social media at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/firstpresnb⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch our streaming service each week at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCKw0GnheJfOUlVv_g5bBrEw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Permission to podcast/stream live music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License A-701790 and CCLI 3202763. All rights reserved. Permission to podcast/stream recorded music from artist.io.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 30, 2025 is: protocol • PROH-tuh-kawl • noun Protocol most often refers to a system of rules explaining the correct conduct and procedures to be followed in a formal situation; in computer programming a protocol is a set of rules used in formatting data. Protocol can also refer to a plan for a scientific experiment or medical treatment, or to a document that describes the details of a diplomatic treaty. // What is the proper protocol for declining a job offer? // My doctor recommended a simplified treatment protocol for my condition. See the entry > Examples: "Back in the UK, it's still unclear what kind of royal life, if any, lies ahead for Archie and Lilibet. While they hold their princely and princess titles, bestowed upon them following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, their day-to-day lives in Montecito are a world away from palace protocol." — Faye James, Hello Magazine, 15 July 2025 Did you know? In Late Greek, the word prōtokollon referred to the first sheet of a papyrus roll bearing the date of its manufacture. In some instances, it consisted of a flyleaf that was glued to the outside of a manuscript's case and provided a description of its contents. Coming from the Greek prefix prōt- ("first") and the verb kollan ("to glue together"), prōtokollon gave us our word protocol. In its earliest uses in the 15th century, the word referred to a record of a document or transaction. By the turn of the 18th century it was being used for the original record or minutes of a diplomatic negotiation, and still later for the etiquette observed by heads of state in ceremonies and relations with other dignitaries. This sense has since extended in meaning to cover any code of proper conduct.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 29, 2025 is: incisive • in-SYE-siv • adjective Incisive means "impressively direct and decisive." It is generally applied to either something communicated in a way that is very clear and direct, or to a person who is able to explain difficult ideas clearly and confidently. // The columnist is known for her incisive commentary on local politics. See the entry > Examples: "'Death Becomes Her' might be a combination of an uproarious camp sensibility and the grotesquely macabre, but it also contains incisive social critiques—of impossible beauty standards for women, the difficulties of aging, and the lengths people will go to maintain their youthful looks." — Christopher Wallenberg, The Boston Globe, 1 June 2025 Did you know? An incisive person doesn't hem and haw—they get straight to the point. The original meaning of incisive, from around 1600, was "having a cutting edge or piercing point"; the modern meaning of "impressively direct and decisive" has been part of English since the mid-1800s. Incisive is a close relative of incisor, which refers to a front tooth typically adapted for cutting, so it's no surprise that incisive has a specific meaning in dentistry, describing that which is of, relating to, or situated near the incisors. Both incisive and incisor come from the Latin verb caedere, meaning "to cut." English is rich in cuttings from the fruitful stem of caedere: some examples to sink your teeth into are scissors, chisel, incise ("to cut into or engrave"), excise ("to remove by cutting"), incision ("cut" or "gash"), precise ("minutely exact"), and concise ("brief").

Get your estimated IELTS Band Score now with our free 2-minute quiz. Want to get a guaranteed score increase on your next IELTS Exam? Check out our 3 Keys IELTS Online course. Check out our other podcasts: All Ears English Podcast: We focus on Connection NOT Perfection when it comes to learning English. This podcast is perfect for listeners at the intermediate or advanced level. This is an award-winning podcast with more than 4 million monthly downloads. Business English Podcast: Improve your Business English with 3 episodes per week, featuring Lindsay, Michelle, and Aubrey Visit our website here or https://lnk.to/website-sn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode, you will hear an interesting English story. As you listen to the story, you will also learn a series of English terms that are connected to a specific topic. This lesson will help you improve your ability to speak English fluently about a specific topic. It will also help you feel more confident in your English abilities.Story Title“A Journey of Change”5 Vocabulary WordsOrganic Farming: (noun) A farming system that avoids the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.Example sentences: Organic farming is more environmentally friendly than conventional farming.Organic farming can help to improve soil health and biodiversity.Organic farming produces food that is often healthier and tastier.Sustainable Agriculture: (noun) Agricultural practices that are environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially just.Example sentences: Sustainable agriculture aims to protect the environment and ensure food security.Sustainable agriculture practices include crop rotation, organic farming, and reduced pesticide use.Sustainable agriculture can help to mitigate climate change and improve soil health.Upcycling: (noun) The process of converting waste materials or unusable products into new materials or objects of better quality or environmental value.Example sentences: Upcycling reduces waste and promotes creativity.Upcycling can transform old clothing into new fashion items.Upcycling is a great way to reduce your environmental impact.Minimalism: (noun) A simple way of living with only the bare necessities.Example sentences: Minimalism can reduce stress and increase happiness.Minimalism often involves decluttering and simplifying one's life.Minimalism can be a sustainable lifestyle choice.Local Sourcing: (noun) The practice of sourcing goods and services from local producers.Example sentences: Local sourcing supports local businesses and reduces transportation emissions.Local sourcing can help to build stronger communities.Local sourcing often leads to fresher and higher-quality products.If you want to sign up for the free daily English vocabulary newsletter, go towww.dailyenglishvocabulary.com

In a world that's constantly changing, what's your North Star? It's easy to get lost in a sea of advice and fleeting trends. That's why we've created The Lifelong Learner's Manifesto—a beautifully designed set of 10 core principles to act as your anchor and guide your growth. This isn't just another to-do list. It's a philosophy to live by, including powerful ideas like: Embrace "Glorious Failure": Reframe your mistakes as your most valuable lessons. The Expert Was Once a Beginner: Grant yourself the grace to be new and clumsy. My Library Is Everywhere: See the entire world as your classroom. If you're ready to move from simply learning things to becoming a "Lifelong Learner," this manifesto is for you. #LifelongLearning #Manifesto #PersonalGrowth #Mindset #Motivation #Philosophy #Curiosity Read the full article and learn from the Vocabulary in Context and many activities embedded in the article: https://englishpluspodcast.com/the-lifelong-learners-manifesto-10-principles-for-a-curious-and-growth-oriented-life/ To unlock full access to all our episodes, consider becoming a premium subscriber on Apple Podcasts or Patreon. And don't forget to visit englishpluspodcast.com for even more content, including articles, in-depth studies, and our brand-new audio series and courses now available in our Patreon Shop!

Send us a textDisclaimer: The views expressed in this episode are Judge Robert Rassp's personal opinions and do not reflect the official position of the State of California, Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC), or the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB).In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne and Rafael are joined by Judge Robert Rassp for a straightforward discussion about the fundamental benefits of workers' compensation and why they are important. Judge Rassp walks us through the foundation of the system, from medical treatment to temporary and permanent disability benefits, and explains how these core protections are designed to support injured employees while balancing employer responsibilities.The conversation also explores how utilization review, independent medical review, and evolving case law influence the delivery of these benefits. Judge Rassp emphasizes the importance of fairness, education, and due process in ensuring that both injured employees and employers understand the system and can navigate it effectively.According to Rassp: “Temporary disability keeps food on the table during recovery. Permanent disability recognizes when someone's life has been permanently changed by an injury.”Please join us for this informative episode with one of our industry's most experienced and esteemed educators. Judge Rassp is also an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University's Caruso School of Law, where he teaches workers' compensation law, and he's a founding member of the CC&R Band, a parody band that performs classic rock and roll hits at many Southern California industry events.  Key Terms from the Episode:Medical Treatment – Care provided to cure or relieve the effects of a work-related injury or illness.Temporary Disability (TD) – Wage replacement benefits provided to an injured employee while recovering and unable to work.Permanent Disability (PD) – Benefits awarded when an injured employee has lasting impairment that affects their ability to earn wages.Causation – the link establishing that an injury or illness arose out of and in the course of employment, or more simply put, that the injured employee's work contributed to their injury or illness. This is also referred to as AOE/COE.WCAB (Workers' Compensation Appeals Board) – The judicial body that adjudicates disputes in California's workers' compensation system.Utilization Review (UR) – The process by which an employer or insurer evaluates a medical treatment request for appropriateness and necessity.Independent Medical Review (IMR) – The appeal process when a treatment request is denied through UR, conducted by an independent physician reviewer.Case Law – Published court or WCAB decisions that interpret statutes and guide future workers' compensation cases.¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 28, 2025 is: diminution • dim-uh-NOO-shun • noun Diminution is a formal word that refers to the act or process of becoming less. // The company is committed to seeing that efforts to scale up production do not result in a diminution of quality. See the entry > Examples: “A sense of abasement hovers over the performer of the Super Bowl halftime show. It is slight, but it is there. ... The gig—a live gig—is essentially done for free. It ends, the performer is spirited away, and the multi-million-dollar commercials and multi-million-dollar game resume. It's popular music as the doula to football. The next morning, everyone makes big talk about history and legend-making; the feeling of diminution lingers.” — Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025 Did you know? In his late 14th century tragic poem Troilus and Criseyde, Geoffrey Chaucer employed the word diminution, contrasting the verb encrece (“increase”) with the phrase “maken dyminucion” (“make diminution”). Like many words Chaucer used, diminution came to English from Anglo-French, and ultimately from the Latin word deminuere, meaning “to diminish,” which is also an ancestor of the English verb diminish. That word entered the language in the 15th century, and the related noun diminishment, a synonym of diminution, was adopted in the 16th century.

In this video, I talk about what it really means to “know” a word, why forgetting is normal, and the simple steps I use to remember and retrieve vocabulary.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 27, 2025 is: nebulous • NEB-yuh-lus • adjective Nebulous is a formal word used to describe something that is difficult to see, understand, or describe—in other words, something indistinct or vague. // A lot of philosophical concepts can seem nebulous at first, but a good instructor can cut through the jargon and help students see how they apply to day-to-day life. See the entry > Examples: “[Rob] Harvilla began to notice the blurred lines of late-Nineties genres as he produced his podcast 60 Songs That Explain the ‘90s and while writing its corresponding book. ‘The late Nineties were a weird, transitional wasteland,' he says. All of these genres that had such stark lines in the Nineties have now become a more nebulous concept, blending into one supergenre of just ‘Nineties music.'” — Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2025 Did you know? Nebulous may sound otherworldly—after all, it's related to nebula, which refers to an interstellar cloud of gas or dust—but its mysteriousness is rooted in more earthly unknowns. Both words ultimately come from Latin nebula, meaning “mist, cloud,” and as far back as the 14th century nebulous could mean simply “cloudy” or “foggy.” Nebulous has since the late 17th century been the adjective correlating to nebula (as in “nebulous gas”), but the word is more familiar in its figurative use, where it describes things that are indistinct or vague, as when Teju Cole wrote of an avant-garde photographer who viewed photography as existing “neither in the camera nor in the printed photograph, but in a more nebulous zone.”

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 26, 2025 is: trepidation • trep-uh-DAY-shun • noun Trepidation refers to a feeling of fear that causes someone to hesitate because they think that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen. // The students felt a sense of trepidation upon being summoned to the principal's office. See the entry > Examples: "Met by some with cautious optimism, others with trepidation, and others with doomsday predictions, there is no doubt that AI is here to stay and changing work in ways yet to be fully revealed." — Laurel Donnellan, Forbes, 28 May 2025 Did you know? If you've ever trembled with fright, you know something of both the sensation and etymology of trepidation. The word comes from the Latin verb trepidare, which means "to tremble." (Trepidare also gave English the verb trepidate, meaning "to feel nervous or apprehensive," but that word is now considered archaic.) Early meanings of trepidation, such as "tremulous motion" or "tremor," reflect its "shaky" origins. Over time, however, those senses gave way to our modern meaning referring to fearful hesitancy.

В августе 2025 года в России заблокировали звонки в WhatsApp и Telegram. Мы поговорим о причинах, версиях и последствиях этого решения, а также о новом государственном мессенджере «Макс».A dialogue in Russian about Russia blocking WhatsApp and Telegram — real-life vocabulary, politics, and daily life, to boost your Russian listening.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 25, 2025 is: undulant • UN-juh-lunt • adjective Undulant describes things that rise and fall in waves, or things that have a wavy form, outline, or surface. // The exhibit featured a painting with beautiful green strokes that resembled undulant hills. See the entry > Examples: “Though tightly bound by our love of books, we bibliophiles are a sundry lot, managing our obsession in a grand variety of ways. We organize by title, by author, by genre, by topic. By color, by height, by width, by depth. … We stack books into attractive still lifes accompanied by a single tulip in a bud vase, or into risky, undulant towers poised to flatten a passing housecat.” — Monica Wood, LitHub.com, 7 May 2024 Did you know? If you're looking for an adjective that encapsulates the rising and falling of the briny sea, wave hello to undulant. While not an especially common descriptor, it is useful not only for describing the ocean itself, but for everything from rolling hills to a snake's sinuous movement to a fever that waxes and wanes. The root of undulant is, perhaps unsurprisingly, unda, a Latin word meaning “wave.” Other English words swimming the wake of unda include inundate, “to cover with a flood,” and undulate, “to form or move in waves.”

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 24, 2025 is: cloister • KLOY-ster • verb To cloister someone or something is to shut the person or thing away from the world. // The scientist cloistered himself in his laboratory all weekend to finish analyzing data. See the entry > Examples: “Now, the past Melbourne High student body president and co-valedictorian is planning to step down Jan. 20 after serving nearly four years as NASA's administrator. ... ‘My constitution is such that I'm not going to retire. And what I said is, I'm going to cloister myself and write a book. And then, we'll see what happens,' [Bill] Nelson, who is now 82, told reporters Wednesday during a roundtable discussion at the Kennedy Space Center Press Site.” — Rick Neale, Florida Today, 19 Dec. 2024 Did you know? Cloister first entered the English language as a noun in the 13th century, referring then (as it still does) to a convent or monastery. More than three centuries later, English speakers began using the verb cloister to mean “to seclude in or as if in a cloister.” Today, the noun can also refer to the monastic life or to a covered and usually arched passage along or around a court. You may also encounter the adjective cloistered with the meaning “separated from the rest of the world [as if in a cloister],” as in “She leads a private, cloistered life in the country.” Cloister ultimately comes from the Latin verb claudere, meaning “to close.” Other words that can be traced back to the prolific claudere include close, conclude, exclude, include, preclude, seclude, and recluse.

In this Learn Polish Podcast episode (EP 515), a father-and-son duo mix Polish and English while exploring combat sports gear: boxing gloves, hand wraps, protective headgear, nunchaku, bo staff, punching bags, mouthguards, and even using a mannequin partner. Enjoy quick vocab practice, light training stories, and simple phrases you can reuse—plus brief mentions of their projects and a friendly call to like, rate, and share.   All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠   

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 23, 2025 is: flagrant • FLAY-grunt • adjective Something may be described as flagrant if it is conspicuously bad—that is, too bad to be ignored. // In a flagrant violation of the family's code of ethics, someone finished the ice cream and left the empty container in the freezer. See the entry > Examples: "'It wasn't such a brilliant thought to sit on an artwork,' Vanessa Carlon, the museum's director, tells the New York Times' Claire Moses. Carlon says the incident highlights just how far people will go to get a good photo, as well as their flagrant lack of accountability. 'These two people decided to escape,' she adds. 'That was the behavior that really offended us.'" — Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2025 Did you know? A flagrant foul in sports involves no flame or literal heat—it's just too conspicuously bad for referees to ignore—but the roots of flagrant are hot, hot, hot. In Latin, flagrāre means "to burn," and flagrans means "flaming" or "fiery" (both carry meanings relating to literal flames as well as the figurative flames of passion). When it was first used in the 16th century, flagrant had the same "flaming, fiery" meaning as flagrans, but by the 18th century it had acquired its current meaning of “conspicuously bad or offensive.” (Another flagrāre descendant in English, conflagration, retained its "fiery" meaning.) Some usage experts warn against using flagrant and blatant interchangeably. While both words apply to noticeable lapses, they are not true synonyms. Blatant (likely from a Latin word meaning “to chatter”) typically describes a person, action, or thing that attracts disapproving attention (e.g., "a blatant grammatical error"), while flagrant carries a heavier connotation of offense often for violated morality (e.g., "flagrant abuse of public office").

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 22, 2025 is: apathy • AP-uh-thee • noun Apathy refers either to a lack of feeling or emotion, or to a lack of interest or concern. // Though the girl's expression communicated apathy, Gina knew her daughter was actually very pleased at having won the poetry prize. // While the previous mayor's administration responded to the community's needs with little more than apathy, city hall under the new leadership is making real changes. See the entry > Examples: “I find myself shrugging a lot more. And answering, ‘That seems true.' And saying the exact same thing to the opposing argument. ... I've found myself concerned about my apparent apathy and disinterest in picking fights. On the flip side, I'm an easier person to be around.” — Mari Andrew, How to Be a Living Thing: Meditations on Intuitive Oysters, Hopeful Doves, and Being a Human in the World, 2025 Did you know? Once more without feeling! While its siblings antipathy, sympathy, and empathy refer to often strong emotions, whether tender or terrible, apathy is unconcerned with all that. Whether one is feeling blasé, indifferent, or—to use a more recent coinage—meh, apathy is the perfect word for such a lack of passion. At the root of apathy and its kin is páthos, a Greek word meaning “experience, misfortune, or emotion,” which led first to the adjective apathḗs (“not suffering, without passion or feeling, impassive”) and then the noun apatheîa before passing through Latin and Middle French on its way to English. The prefix a- in both means “without.” The other aforementioned páthos descendants are, of course, supplied with their own prefixes that give clues to their respective meanings: anti- (“opposite”), sym- (“at the same time”), and em- (“in” or “within”).