Today's Word

Abjure

ab-JOOR

Definition

(verb) To solemnly renounce, reject, or give up a belief, claim, or course of action.

Example

Under growing pressure, the senator publicly abjured her earlier remarks.

Word Origin

From Latin abjurare — “to deny under oath.”

Fun Fact

Historically, abjure was a legal term: people might “abjure the realm,” formally swearing to leave a country forever. Today, it appears more often in personal or ideological contexts—public figures abjure statements, celebrities abjure scandals, and authors abjure earlier opinions. The word carries a sense of formality and finality—this isn’t just changing your mind; it’s disowning a stance with clarity and purpose.

Previous Words

Munificence

Today's Word

Munificence

myoo-NIF-ih-sense

Definition

(noun) Displaying extreme generosity in giving; lavish and openhanded in the bestowal of gifts or resources.

Example

The philanthropist’s munificence transformed the city — new libraries, funded hospitals, and a university scholarship program that outlasted her by decades.

Word Origin

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.

Fun Fact

The Medici family of Renaissance Florence set the gold standard for munificence in Western history — spending the equivalent of billions of modern dollars patronizing artists, architects, philosophers, and scientists over several generations. Cosimo de’ Medici alone funded the construction of dozens of churches, libraries, and public buildings, and personally supported artists including Brunelleschi and Donatello. Art historians estimate that without Medici munificence, the Italian Renaissance as we know it simply would not have happened — making their generosity arguably the highest-return investment in the history of human culture.

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Abjure

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Previous Words

Munificence

Munificence

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Munificence

Pejorative

Tawdry

Pedantic

Supine