Today's Word

Hedonist

HEE-duh-nist (or HED-uh-nist)

Definition

(noun) A person who pursues pleasure as the highest goal in life.

Example

As a true hedonist, he spent his days traveling to exotic beaches and indulging in the finest foods.

Fun Fact

Hedonism has roots in ancient Greek philosophy, particularly with thinkers like Epicurus, who believed that the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain were key to a good life. However, modern hedonism often carries a more indulgent or carefree connotation, sometimes associated with extravagance. Interestingly, psychological studies suggest that true happiness comes not from constant pleasure but from a balance of meaningful experiences and enjoyment!

Previous Words

Machination

Today's Word

Machination

mak-ih-NAY-shun

Definition

(noun) A crafty scheme or cunning plot, usually intended to achieve something sinister or underhanded.

Example

The board members were completely unaware of the CEO’s quiet machinations to force the company into a merger.

Word Origin

From Latin machinatio — “a device, scheme, or contrivance” — derived from machina (“machine, device, trick”), which came from Greek makhana (“instrument, engine”). The same root gives us “machine” and “mechanical.” A machination, then, is quite literally a device — just one built from intention and deception rather than gears and levers.

Fun Fact

The word “machination” is deeply embedded in Shakespeare’s tragedies — Othello, Macbeth, and Hamlet are all essentially machination plays, where hidden scheming drives the action. Iago in Othello is often cited as the greatest literary schemer — a character who plots so brilliantly and relentlessly that scholars have debated his true motivations for centuries. The word’s mechanical root is quite apt: Shakespeare’s villains construct their plots with almost clockwork precision, each move calculated to trigger the next.

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Hedonist

Definition

Example

Previous Words

Machination

Machination

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Machination

Descry

Sardonic

Oblique

Verisimilitude