Today's Word

Jurisprudence

jurisprudence

joor-is-PROO-dens

Definition

(noun) The theory or philosophy of law.

Example

The professor’s lectures focused on classical and modern jurisprudence.

Word Origin

Early 17th century: from late Latin jurisprudentia, from Latin jus, jur- ‘law’ + prudentia ‘knowledge’.

Fun Fact

Jurisprudence isn’t just about laws—it’s about why laws exist, how they’re interpreted, and what they should achieve. It’s a cornerstone of legal education and is often divided into schools of thought: natural law, legal positivism, critical legal theory, and more. While lawyers practice law, jurisprudence is for those who want to debate the very foundations of justice.

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 But as styles changed, those accessories were considered garish or outdated, and the word became an insult.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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Jurisprudence

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Previous Words

Tawdry

Tawdry

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Tawdry

Adulation

Wend

Dogmatic

Relegate