- Today's Word
Allay
uh-LAY
Definition
(verb) To reduce or relieve (fear, doubt, or concern).
Example
The leader’s calm tone helped allay the crowd’s rising panic.
Fun Fact
Allay has been used since the 14th century and originally referred to calming storms. Today it’s more commonly used in psychological or emotional contexts. You might allay someone’s fears, allay their concerns, or allay tension in a room. It’s often used when leaders, therapists, or teachers are trying to dial down intensity without dismissing it.
(noun) Displaying extreme generosity in giving; lavish and openhanded in the bestowal of gifts or resources.
The philanthropist’s munificence transformed the city — new libraries, funded hospitals, and a university scholarship program that outlasted her by decades.
Munificence derives from the Latin munificentia, built from munus meaning “gift” or “duty” and facere meaning “to make” — literally “the making of gifts.” The same root munus gives us municipal and munitions, both originally tied to the idea of public duties and obligations. It entered English in the 16th century, used almost exclusively to describe the grand, sweeping generosity of rulers, patrons, and institutions rather than everyday acts of giving.