NOY-sum
(adjective) Having an extremely offensive smell; or generally unpleasant or harmful.
The noisome odor from the dumpster drifted across the parking lot.
Fun Fact
Despite sounding like “noisy,” the word actually has nothing to do with sound. It comes from Middle English noy (meaning harm or annoyance), which also gave rise to “annoy.” Today, it’s a favorite in horror novels and urban planning reports alike.
NEB-yuh-lus
(adjective) Unclear, vague, or ill-defined; resembling a cloud or haze.
His plans for the future remained nebulous, more dream than direction.
From Latin nebula, meaning “mist” or “cloud.”
Fun Fact
In astronomy, a nebula is a massive cloud of gas and dust in space where stars are born. The figurative meaning of nebulous—something vague or hard to see clearly—came later, borrowing that same sense of hazy uncertainty. Interestingly, in both uses, something nebulous often signals potential rather than absence; after all, every star begins as a blur in the dark.
Today's Word Salubrious suh-LOO-bree-us Definition (adjective) Health-giving; promoting well-being. Example...
Read More