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.
eye-DAH-luh-trus
(adjective) Relating to or practicing idolatry; showing excessive admiration or devotion to someone or something.
The fans’ idolatrous devotion to the celebrity bordered on unhealthy obsession.
Late Middle English: from Old French “idolatrer,” from ecclesiastical Latin “idololatria,” from Greek “eidololatria,” from “eidolon” (idol) + “latreia” (worship).
Fun Fact
Idolatry originally meant worshipping physical objects as gods, violating monotheistic commandments against graven images. Modern usage extends beyond religion—we speak of idolatrous celebrity worship, idolatrous devotion to money or power, or idolatrous nationalism. The biblical prohibition against idolatry shaped Western art history; iconoclastic movements periodically destroyed religious images considered idolatrous. Psychologists discuss how modern consumer culture creates idolatrous relationships with brands and products. The word implies problematic excess—you can admire someone without being idolatrous, but cross a line into worship and admiration becomes unhealthy. Contemporary critique of “toxic fandom” often describes behavior that’s effectively idolatrous, where devotion to entertainers or fictional universes eclipses rational perspective, demonstrating how ancient concepts remain relevant in secular contexts.
Today's Word Idolatrous eye-DAH-luh-trus Definition (adjective) Relating to or practicing...
Read More