GAIR-uh-lus
The garrulous host told story after story, barely letting anyone else speak.
Fun Fact
“Garrulous” comes from Latin garrire, meaning “to chatter.” While sometimes charming, garrulous speech can also wear people down—especially when it’s full of gossip, tangents, or repetition. It’s a favorite descriptor in novels to bring quirky or long-winded characters to life.
par-sih-MOH-nee-us
(adjective) Unwilling to spend money or use resources; extremely frugal to the point of stinginess.
He was so parsimonious that he kept the thermostat at 58 degrees all winter and wore two sweaters instead.
From Latin parsimonia, meaning “frugality” or “thrift,” derived from parcere (“to spare, be sparing”). The word entered English in the 15th century through Old French. Its Latin root is also the ancestor of “sparse” — both words carry the idea of deliberate scarcity.
Fun Fact
“Parsimonious” has a philosophical sibling: Occam’s Razor — the principle that the simplest explanation is usually correct — is sometimes called the “principle of parsimony.” In science, parsimony means elegance and economy of explanation, which is considered a virtue. So the same word that describes a miser hoarding his pennies also describes one of the most respected principles in logic and scientific reasoning — the idea that less, truly, is more.
Today's Word Parsimonious par-sih-MOH-nee-us Definition (adjective) Unwilling to spend money...
Read MoreToday's Word Effervescent ef-er-VES-ent Definition (adjective) Bubbling with enthusiasm, energy,...
Read MoreToday's Word Capricious kuh-PRISH-us Definition (adjective) Given to sudden and...
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