www.merriam-webster.com Open in urlscan Pro
2600:9000:206f:5800:c:3d32:e340:93a1  Public Scan

Form analysis
3 forms found in the DOM

/dictionary

<form id="search-form" class="d-flex w-100 position-relative search-form" autocomplete="off" novalidate="" action="/dictionary">
  <input id="search-term" class="form-control rounded border-dark search" type="search" placeholder="Search Dictionary" aria-label="Search" value="" autocomplete="off" spellcheck="false" autocorrect="off" autocapitalize="off">
  <button class="btn position-absolute close-button" title="close" aria-label="Close Search" type="reset">
    <svg width="12" height="13" viewBox="0 0 12 13" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
      <path fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd"
        d="M7.42616 6.5L11.7046 10.7785C12.0985 11.1723 12.0985 11.8108 11.7046 12.2046C11.3108 12.5985 10.6723 12.5985 10.2785 12.2046L6 7.92616L1.72153 12.2046C1.3277 12.5985 0.68919 12.5985 0.295367 12.2046C-0.0984557 11.8108 -0.0984557 11.1723 0.295367 10.7785L4.57384 6.5L0.295367 2.22153C-0.0984557 1.8277 -0.0984557 1.18919 0.295367 0.795367C0.68919 0.401544 1.3277 0.401544 1.72153 0.795367L6 5.07384L10.2785 0.795367C10.6723 0.401544 11.3108 0.401544 11.7046 0.795367C12.0985 1.18919 12.0985 1.8277 11.7046 2.22153L7.42616 6.5Z"
        fill="#97BECE"></path>
    </svg>
  </button>
  <button class="btn position-absolute search-button search-dictionary" title="Search" aria-label="Search Word" type="submit">
    <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" width="19px" height="21px" viewBox="0 0 26 29" version="1.1" class="svg replaced-svg">
      <g class="Search" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd">
        <g class="g-search-icon" transform="translate(1.000000, 1.000000)" fill="#fff" fill-rule="nonzero">
          <path
            d="M17.5185815,17.4073633 L24.5896493,24.4784311 C24.9801736,24.8689554 24.9801736,25.5021204 24.5896493,25.8926447 L23.1754357,27.3068582 C22.7849114,27.6973825 22.1517464,27.6973825 21.7612221,27.3068582 L14.6901543,20.2357904 C14.29963,19.8452661 14.29963,19.2121011 14.6901543,18.8215769 L16.1043679,17.4073633 C16.4948922,17.016839 17.1280572,17.016839 17.5185815,17.4073633 Z M10.5,21 C4.70101013,21 0,16.2989899 0,10.5 C0,4.70101013 4.70101013,0 10.5,0 C16.2989899,0 21,4.70101013 21,10.5 C21,16.2989899 16.2989899,21 10.5,21 Z M10.5,18 C14.6421356,18 18,14.6421356 18,10.5 C18,6.35786438 14.6421356,3 10.5,3 C6.35786438,3 3,6.35786438 3,10.5 C3,14.6421356 6.35786438,18 10.5,18 Z"
            class="Oval"></path>
        </g>
      </g>
    </svg>
  </button>
</form>

POST /word-of-the-day

<form class="wotd-promo__subscribe__form js-wod-subscribe-frm" action="/word-of-the-day" method="post">
  <input type="text" name="wod-subscribe" placeholder="Your email address" class="wotd-promo__subscribe__form__email" aria-label="word of the day email subscribe">
  <input type="submit" name="wod-submit" value="Sign Up" class="wotd-promo__subscribe__form__submit ul-button ul-button-primary-light hoverable">
</form>

<form data-medium="footer" class="footer-subscribe js-wod-subscribe-frm">
  <input class="footer-subscribe-field" type="text" name="email" value="" aria-label="Sign up for Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day newsletter" placeholder="Your email address">
  <input class="footer-subscribe-button" type="submit" name="submit" aria-label="Subscribe" value="SUBSCRIBE">
  <input class="footer-subscribe-button hidden arrow" type="submit" name="submit" value=">">
</form>

Text Content

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company
Merriam-Webster Logo


Menu Toggle
 
Merriam-Webster Logo
Hello,
Username
Log In Sign Up
 * Username
   
   * My Words
   * Recents
   * Settings
   * Log Out

 * Games & Quizzes
 * Thesaurus
 * Features
 * Word of the Day
 * Shop
 * Join MWU
 * More
   
   * Shop M-W Books link icon
   * Join MWU link icon
      * Log In
      * Username
      * My Words
      * Recents
      * Account
      * Log Out
 * * Settings
   * My Words
   * Recents
   * Account
   * Log Out


Est. 1828
Suggested searches: genius, boondoggle, annus mirabilis, charlatan, speculate,
retrospective
Word lovers! Save words plus keep track of all your lookups
REGISTER NOW »
Our New Word Game
Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

Play Now »
Word of the Day
JANUARY 10, 2023
teleological Listen to the pronunciation of teleological
Get the definition, examples, and podcast »

Get Word of the Day in your inbox!


Top Lookups Right Now
Next refresh: 25 seconds
 * 1
   celestial
   
 * 2
   for
   
 * 3
   blasphemy
   
 * 4
   debate
   
 * 5
   deduce
   
 * 6
   woke
   
 * 7
   archnemesis
   
 * 8
   cisgender
   
 * 9
   dichotomy
   
 * 10
   et al.
   





GAMES & QUIZZES

View All »

Name That Thing MegaQuiz: Vol. 4
Test your visual vocabulary!
Play Now »
Top Words of 2022 Quiz
Fourteen words that helped define the year.
Play Now »




Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP
You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these right
Play Now »
Words Named After People
Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," and more.
Play Now »
Words of Snow and Ice Quiz
A selection of words from the chillier parts of the lexicon.
Play Now »



WORDS AT PLAY

View All »

30 Ways to Tell the Future
Let us know if any of these work for you
Read Now »
Aloof, Wallflower, and More Words for Introverts
Don't be surprised if none of them want the spotlight
Read Now »




New Year's Resolutions: A Pretty Old Practice
The habit of breaking them is probably only a couple days younger
Read Now »
9 More Top-Shelf Drinking Words
Commit these to memory _before_ you start your evening out
Read Now »
14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
Words for uncommon fears
Read Now »



WORD USAGE & GRAMMAR

View more »

More Commonly Mispronounced Words
Read Now »
What's the difference between 'sympathy' and 'empathy'?
Though the words appear in similar contexts, they have different meanings
Read Now »




Is it Ever Okay to Start a Sentence With 'And'?
FANBOYS might not get you far
Read Now »
Do the Names of the Seasons Get Capitalized?
On common nouns and falling leaves
Read Now »
Fun! Funner!! Funnest!!!
We got a whole mess of fun here, folks
Read Now »


VIDEOS

View All »
play
Volume 90%

Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard Shortcuts
play/pause
increase volume
decrease volume
seek forwards
seek backwards
toggle captions
toggle fullscreen
mute/unmute
seek to %
SPACE
↑
↓
→
←
c
f
m
0-9
OffEnglish
Live
00:00
00:00
00:00





 
Irregardless
play
Irregardless
play
How Often Is 'Biweekly'?
play
Weird Plurals
play
Longest Word in the Dictionary


TIME TRAVELER

Find words from the year you were born … and beyond!

Select a
year20222021202020182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900189918981897189618951894189318921891189018891888188718861885188418831882188118801879187818771876187518741873187218711870186918681867186618651864186318621861186018591858185718561855185418531852185118501849184818471846184518441843184218411840183918381837183618351834183318321831183018291828182718261825182418231822182118201819181818171816181518141813181218111810180918081807180618051804180318021801180017991798179717961795179417931792179117901789178817871786178517841783178217811780177917781777177617751774177317721771177017691768176717661765176417631762176117601759175817571756175517541753175217511750174917481747174617451744174317421741174017391738173717361735173417331732173117301729172817271726172517241723172217211720171917181717171617151714171317121711171017091708170717061705170417031702170117001699169816971696169516941693169216911690168916881687168616851684168316821681168016791678167716761675167416731672167116701669166816671666166516641663166216611660165916581657165616551654165316521651165016491648164716461645164416431642164116401639163816371636163516341633163216311630162916281627162616251624162316221621162016191618161716161615161416131612161116101609160816071606160516041603160216011600159915981597159615951594159315921591159015891588158715861585158415831582158115801579157815771576157515741573157215711570156915681567156615651564156315621561156015591558155715561555155415531552155115501549154815471546154515441543154215411540153915381537153615351534153315321531153015291528152715261525152415231522152115201519151815171516151515141513151215111510150915081507150615051504150315021501150015th
century14th century13th century12th centurybefore 12th centurySelect a year




APPS FROM MERRIAM-WEBSTER


MERRIAM-WEBSTER DICTIONARY

Take America's most trusted dictionary wherever you go




PUKU: LEARN NEW WORDS

For kids 8-12




PODCASTS


WORD OF THE DAY

From the fun and familiar to the strange and obscure, learn something new
everyday with Merriam-Webster

Apple Podcasts


WORD MATTERS

Join Merriam-Webster editors as they challenge supposed grammar rules, reveal
the surprising origins behind words, tackle common questions, and generally geek
out about the beautiful nightmare that is language.

Apple Podcasts New England Public Media


   BROWSE THE DICTIONARY

 * A
 * B
 * C
 * D
 * E
 * F
 * G
 * H
 * I
 * J
 * K
 * L
 * M
 * N
 * O
 * P
 * Q
 * R
 * S
 * T
 * U
 * V
 * W
 * X
 * Y
 * Z
 * 0-9
 * BIO
 * GEO


   BROWSE THE THESAURUS

 * A
 * B
 * C
 * D
 * E
 * F
 * G
 * H
 * I
 * J
 * K
 * L
 * M
 * N
 * O
 * P
 * Q
 * R
 * S
 * T
 * U
 * V
 * W
 * X
 * Y
 * Z
 * 0-9

Merriam Webster

Learn a new word every day. Delivered to your inbox!



OTHER MERRIAM-WEBSTER DICTIONARIES

 * MERRIAM-WEBSTER'S UNABRIDGED DICTIONARY
 * SCRABBLE® WORD FINDER
 * MERRIAM-WEBSTER DICTIONARY API

 * NGLISH - SPANISH-ENGLISH TRANSLATION
 * BRITANNICA ENGLISH - ARABIC TRANSLATION

FOLLOW US

 * Facebook
 * Twitter
 * YouTube
 * Instagram

 * Home
 * Help
 * About Us
 * Shop
 * Advertising Info
 * Dictionary API
 * Contact Us
 * Join MWU
 * Videos
 * Word of the Year
 * Vocabulary Resources
 * Law Dictionary
 * Medical Dictionary
 * Privacy Policy
 * Terms of Use

 * Browse the Thesaurus
 * Browse the Medical Dictionary
 * Browse the Legal Dictionary

No other dictionary matches M-W's accuracy and scholarship in defining word
meanings. Our pronunciation help, synonyms, usage and grammar tips set the
standard. Go beyond dictionary lookups with Word of the Day, facts and
observations on language, lookup trends, and wordplay from the editors at
Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

© 2023 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated


Update Privacy Preferences