bayn
(noun) A cause of great distress or annoyance.
Traffic has always been the bane of her morning commute.
Fun Fact
Bane originally meant “killer” or “poison” in Old English—think wolf’s bane, a toxic plant. Over time, it came to mean any source of persistent misery. It’s now often used dramatically or humorously—“My inbox is the bane of my existence.” The word’s tone is flexible: it can be dead serious or a bit tongue-in-cheek.
soo-SUR-us
(adjective) Characterized by soft, whispering, or rustling sounds.
The susurrous murmur of wind through the leaves made the forest feel alive yet utterly peaceful.
From Latin susurrare — “to whisper.”
Fun Fact
Writers use susurrous to evoke atmosphere—especially scenes filled with gentle natural sound. In poetry, it often describes leaves, grasses, or water moving softly enough to feel intimate, as though nature is whispering secrets. The word is onomatopoetic, meaning its sound imitates its meaning: the repeated “s” mimics the very hush it describes.
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