- Today's Word
Ignominious
ig-nuh-MIN-ee-uhs
Definition
- (adjective) Deserving or causing public disgrace, shame, or humiliation.
Example
The team suffered an ignominious defeat after losing by a record-breaking margin.
Fun Fact
“Ignominious” comes from the Latin ignominia, which combines in- (“not”) and nomen (“name” or “reputation”), meaning “without a good name.” Throughout history, ignominious punishments—such as public shaming—were used to enforce social order. Today, the word is often used to describe humiliating losses, scandals, or embarrassing failures.
(adjective) focused on practical results and real-world consequences rather than ideals, theories, or abstract principles.
Instead of arguing over perfect solutions, she took a pragmatic approach and fixed what could be done immediately.
Pragmatic traces back to the Greek word pragmatikos, meaning “relating to deeds or actions,” from pragma (“thing done” or “action”). It entered English in the late 16th century, originally referring to people skilled in managing practical affairs, before evolving into its modern meaning of valuing usefulness and outcomes over theory.