Today's Word

Nefarious

nuh-FAIR-ee-uhs

Definition

(adjective) Wicked or criminal in an especially immoral or villainous way.

Example

The detective uncovered a nefarious plot to rig the election.

Word Origin

Early 17th century: from Latin nefarious, from nefas ‘wrong, crime’, from ne- ‘not’ + fas ‘divine law’.

Fun Fact

Nefarious isn’t just bad—it’s actively, intentionally evil. The word shows up often in stories with villains, conspiracies, and moral corruption. Whether it’s a nefarious villain in a superhero movie or a nefarious scheme in a true-crime podcast, the word adds weight. It’s a favorite for describing actions that go beyond unethical—into unforgivable.

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 But as styles changed, those accessories were considered garish or outdated, and the word became an insult.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

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Previous Words

Tawdry

Tawdry

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Tawdry

Adulation

Wend

Dogmatic

Relegate