Today's Word

Irascible

ih-RASS-uh-buhl

Definition

(adjective) Easily provoked to anger; quick-tempered.

Example

His irascible demeanor made every team meeting tense.

Word Origin

Late Middle English: from Old French irascible, from late Latin irascibilis, from irasci ‘grow angry’.

Fun Fact

Irascible doesn’t always describe someone in a full-on rage—it can apply to people who are just easily irritated or constantly on edge. It’s often used in fiction to characterize grumpy older men, volatile bosses, or that one short-fused coach. Think Scrooge, Dr. House, or a chihuahua with something to prove. It’s a word that paints a personality in tension.

Previous Words

Tawdry

Today's Word

Tawdry

TAW-dree

Definition

(adjective) Showy but cheap and of poor quality; lacking good taste.

Example

The room was filled with tawdry decorations that looked like they came from a discount bin.

Word Origin

Mid 17th century: contraction of St. Audrey’s lace, which referred to cheap lace sold at fairs in honor of St. Audrey. Over time, the lace was seen as gaudy and tasteless, and St. Audrey became tawdry.

Fun Fact

The transformation from St. Audrey to tawdry is a classic case of how language evolves through cultural snobbery. Once a respected religious figure, St. Audrey lent her name to lace accessories sold at fairs. But as styles changed, those accessories were considered garish or outdated, and the word became an insult. Today, tawdry is used to describe anything that’s cheaply flashy, overly glitzy, or just in bad taste—from outfits to gossip.

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Irascible

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Previous Words

Tawdry

Tawdry

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Tawdry

Adulation

Wend

Dogmatic

Relegate