MOD-ih-kuhm
Even a modicum of kindness can brighten someone’s day.
Fun Fact
“Modicum” originates from Latin, meaning “a small measure.” The word is often used sarcastically—if someone says, “He showed a modicum of patience,” they probably mean barely any. Even in law, a modicum of evidence can sometimes be enough to change the course of a trial.
AP-ih-tense
(noun) A natural craving or strong desire; an instinctive inclination toward something
She couldn’t explain her appetence for solo travel — it was simply part of who she was.
Appetence comes from the Latin appetentia, derived from appetere — meaning “to strive after” or “to desire” — itself a combination of ad (“toward”) and petere (“to seek” or “to aim at”). The word entered English in the 17th century, used by philosophers and naturalists to describe instinctive drives in both humans and animals.
Fun Fact
Appetence was a favorite concept of early behavioral scientists who believed that all living creatures are governed by innate appetences — drives toward food, warmth, connection, and survival that operate below conscious thought. The word also appears in literary philosophy: German Romantic writers used the concept to explore the soul’s yearning for beauty and meaning, framing appetence not as simple hunger but as the deepest expression of what a being is naturally drawn toward.
Today's Word Idiosyncratic id-ee-oh-sin-KRAT-ik Definition (adjective) Relating to a distinctive...
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