puh-SIF-ik
(adjective) Peaceful in nature or intent; avoiding conflict.
Her pacific nature helped resolve the argument before it escalated.
Fun Fact
The Pacific Ocean was named by explorer Ferdinand Magellan for its calm waters—mar pacífico, or “peaceful sea.” But beyond geography, pacific describes people, policies, or actions focused on keeping the peace, not just staying quiet. It shows up in everything from foreign policy to personality types.
ih-MYOO-tuh-bul
(adjective) Unchanging over time or unable to be changed; permanent and fixed.
The Constitution’s basic principles were designed to be immutable, requiring extraordinary effort to amend.
Late Middle English: from Latin “immutabilis,” from “in-” (not) + “mutabilis” (changeable), from “mutare” meaning “to change.”
Fun Fact
Computer programmers prize immutable data structures that cannot be altered once created, making code more predictable and secure. Philosophers debate whether anything is truly immutable—even supposedly eternal truths shift with new understanding. The phrase “immutable laws of nature” once included ideas later overturned by quantum mechanics and relativity. Religious texts often describe divine attributes as immutable, emphasizing permanence amid worldly change. Ironically, our understanding of what counts as immutable itself changes over time. Blockchain technology achieves immutability through cryptographic methods, creating permanent records that theoretically cannot be altered—though “theoretically” always carries weight in discussions of absolute permanence.
Today's Word Surreptitious sur-up-TISH-us Definition (adjective) Kept secret, especially because...
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