Today's Word

Incipient

in-SIP-ee-uhnt

Definition

(adjective) In an initial stage; beginning to happen or develop.

Example

They noticed the incipient signs of a storm forming on the horizon.

Word Origin

Mid 17th century: from Latin incipient- ‘beginning’, from incipere ‘to begin’.

Fun Fact

Incipient is a favorite in science, medicine, and psychology—used to describe early warning signs or developments just taking shape. You’ll hear it in phrases like “incipient illness,” “incipient rebellion,” or “incipient innovation.” It’s a more precise way to say something’s starting, especially when that something may grow quickly or change everything.

Previous Words

Hedonist

Today's Word

Hedonist

HEE-duh-nist

Definition

(noun) A person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure and sensory enjoyment is the highest good and chief aim of life

Example

A self-proclaimed hedonist, she planned her entire sabbatical around exceptional food, warm weather, and long afternoons with nothing to do.

Word Origin

Hedonist derives from the Greek hedone, meaning “pleasure” or “delight,” from hedys (“sweet”). The philosophical school of Hedonism was formally developed in ancient Greece — most notably by Epicurus, who argued that pleasure, properly understood, was the foundation of a good life. The word entered English in the 19th century as both a philosophical term and a descriptor for those who live purely for sensory gratification.

Fun Fact

Despite its reputation as a word for pure indulgence, hedonism has a surprisingly nuanced philosophical history. Epicurus — often credited as hedonism’s founding father — actually advocated for simple pleasures: good food shared with friends, intellectual conversation, and freedom from anxiety. It was his rival school, the Cyrenaics, who argued for maximizing immediate bodily pleasure at all costs. The modern connotation of hedonism as pure excess owes more to the Cyrenaics than to Epicurus, who would likely have been appalled by the comparison.

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Incipient

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Previous Words

Hedonist

Hedonist

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Hedonist

Abjure

Punctilious

Impecunious

Caustic