- Today's Word
Inane
ih-NAYN
Definition
- (adjective) Lacking sense, meaning, or substance; silly or pointless.
Example
The meeting dragged on as the team got sidetracked by inane discussions about office coffee flavors.
Fun Fact
Though “inane” is often used to describe foolishness, its original meaning was quite different—it comes from the Latin inanis, meaning “empty” or “void.” Early uses of the word referred to literal emptiness, including vast open spaces or philosophical notions of nothingness. Over time, it took on its modern meaning, suggesting a lack of intellectual or meaningful content, making it the perfect word for mindless chatter, reality TV, or pointless debates.
(adjective) Distant from the ordinary; elevated, refined, or thin (as in air at high altitudes).
The scientist’s rarefied theories fascinated her peers but left the public scratching their heads.
From Latin rarefacere, meaning “to make thin.”