- Today's Word
Noxious
NOK-shuhs
Definition
- (adjective) Harmful, poisonous, or dangerous to health.
Example
The noxious fumes from the factory forced the town to evacuate.
Fun Fact
“Noxious” comes from the Latin noxa, meaning “harm” or “injury.” Historically, it was used to describe deadly gases, polluted air, and poisonous plants. In literature, Shakespeare frequently referenced noxious substances, such as the poison that killed Hamlet’s father. Beyond physical dangers, the word has taken on a figurative meaning, applying to toxic relationships, manipulative people, and harmful ideologies—reminding us that not all poisons come in a bottle.
(noun) A complicated and confusing situation that is extremely difficult to escape or make progress through.
What began as a simple contract dispute had become a morass of litigation, counter-claims, and procedural delays that no one involved could see the end of.
Morass derives from the Dutch moeras, meaning “marsh” or “swamp,” itself from the Old French marais — “marsh.” It entered English in the 17th century with its literal meaning of boggy, waterlogged ground before quickly acquiring its figurative sense of any situation that traps and exhausts in the same way a physical swamp does — something that looks passable until you’re already in it and discovering that every step forward costs more than the last.