- Today's Word
Mirthquake
[MURTH-kwayk]
Definition
- (noun) An an overwhelming outbreak of laughter or amusement that is so intense, it shakes the body or group like a small earthquake. This noun captures the sudden and uncontrollable nature of laughter that erupts from a deeply humorous situation or comment, spreading joy and hilarity among those experiencing it.
Example
During the family dinner, when Uncle Joe accidentally spilled his soup in his lap and then joked about it, a mirthquake erupted at the table, with everyone laughing uncontrollably, tears streaming down their faces.
Fun Fact
Laughter is not only a social bonding mechanism but also has significant health benefits. It can increase pain tolerance, boost the immune system, and reduce stress by lowering levels of cortisol in the body. Interestingly, the body cannot differentiate between genuine and forced laughter, meaning even if you start laughing as an exercise, you can still reap the health benefits!
(verb) To criticize someone or something severely and publicly, often with harsh or scathing language.
The columnist excoriated the company’s leadership for ignoring repeated safety warnings.
Excoriate comes from the Latin excoriare, meaning “to strip off the skin,” from ex- (“off”) and corium (“hide” or “skin”). While the word originally described physical abrasion, its meaning shifted metaphorically over time to describe verbal attacks so harsh they feel skin-deep, leaving nothing protected.