Today's Word

Wizened

WIH-zuhnd

Definition

(adjective) Shriveled, wrinkled, or withered, often due to age or exposure.

Example

The wizened old man sat by the fire, his face etched with the lines of a life well-lived.

Fun Fact

“Wizened” comes from the Middle English wisenen, meaning “to dry up or shrivel.” While often associated with age, the term can also describe anything that has become weathered over time, such as dried fruit, ancient parchment, or even landscapes exposed to harsh elements. Literature frequently uses “wizened” to evoke wisdom and resilience, reinforcing the idea that age and experience leave their mark in both physical and metaphorical ways.

Previous Words

Harbinger

Today's Word

Harbinger

HAR-bin-jer

Definition

(noun) A person or thing that signals or foreshadows what is to come; a forerunner or omen of something approaching.

Example

The first robin of the season has always been considered a harbinger of spring.

Word Origin

From Old French herbergier (“one who provides lodging”), derived from herberge (“shelter, lodging”). In medieval England, a harbinger was a royal official who rode ahead of a traveling court to arrange accommodation. Over time, the meaning shifted from “one who goes ahead” to “one who announces what’s coming” — the literal advance man became a metaphorical one.

Fun Fact

In astronomy, the planet Venus was long called the “harbinger of dawn” because it rises in the sky just before the sun, reliably announcing the coming of morning. Ancient cultures across the world independently noticed this and assigned the planet a messenger role in their mythologies. The Romans named it after their goddess of love, but its function in the sky was always the same — arriving first, signaling what follows. Today Venus is still sometimes called the “morning star” for exactly this reason.

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Wizened

Definition

Example

Previous Words

Harbinger

Harbinger

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Harbinger

Machination

Descry

Sardonic

Oblique