Today's Word

Perfidious

per-FID-ee-uhs

Definition

(adjective) Deceitful and untrustworthy; deliberately disloyal.

Example

His perfidious actions during the negotiation shocked even his rivals.

Word Origin

Late Middle English: from Old French perfidieux, from Latin perfidiosus, from perfidia ‘treachery’, based on per- ‘through’ + fides ‘faith’.

Fun Fact

Perfidious isn’t your average insult. It suggests a deep and knowing betrayal, often by someone who pretended to be loyal. Historically, it was used in diplomacy and politics—perfidious Albion was a nickname used by the French to accuse Britain of double-dealing. It shows up in literature, courtroom speeches, and bitter breakups. This isn’t just someone who disappointed you—it’s someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

Previous Words

Supine

Today's Word

Supine

SOO-pyne

Definition

(adjective) Failing to act or resist; passive and yielding, especially when action is urgently needed.

Example

The board’s supine response to the mounting crisis — endless meetings, no decisions, no accountability — allowed a manageable problem to become a catastrophic one.

Word Origin

Supine derives from the Latin supinus, meaning “lying face upward” or “thrown backward,” rooted in the same base as sub- (“under”). It entered English in the 15th century with both its literal meaning — lying flat on one’s back — and its figurative sense of moral or intellectual passivity. The physical image is the etymology: a person flat on their back, facing the sky, unable or unwilling to rise and meet what’s coming.

Fun Fact

The Roman Senate’s increasingly supine relationship with Julius Caesar is considered by historians to be one of the pivotal failures of the Roman Republic. As Caesar accumulated unprecedented power — declaring himself dictator perpetuo, or dictator in perpetuity — senators who had the authority and the votes to resist instead did nothing, each waiting for someone else to act first. By the time a group finally did act on the Ides of March in 44 BCE, it was too late to save the Republic they were trying to protect. The assassination triggered a civil war that ended with Augustus becoming Rome’s first emperor — proving that supine inaction can be just as consequential as any decision ever made.

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Perfidious

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Previous Words

Supine

Supine

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Supine

Anachronistic

Perfidious

Equivocate

Acumen