puh-LEM-ik
His polemic against corporate greed went viral, igniting fierce debate.
Fun Fact
Many of history’s most famous thinkers—Voltaire, Karl Marx, and Susan B. Anthony—were polemicists who used sharp arguments to challenge the status quo. Whether in political speeches, controversial essays, or heated debates, polemics are meant to stir emotions and provoke change.
RAIR-uh-fyd
(adjective) Distant from the ordinary; elevated, refined, or thin (as in air at high altitudes).
The scientist’s rarefied theories fascinated her peers but left the public scratching their heads.
From Latin rarefacere, meaning “to make thin.”
Fun Fact
Originally used in physics to describe air thinned at high altitudes, rarefied later took on a metaphorical sense—ideas, lifestyles, or circles of influence that exist far above everyday experience. A rarefied discussion might deal with abstract philosophy, while a rarefied atmosphere could describe both mountaintops and elite social circles. The word captures the tension between refinement and isolation—how elevation, whether intellectual or physical, can be both exhilarating and lonely.
Today's Word Salubrious suh-LOO-bree-us Definition (adjective) Health-giving; promoting well-being. Example...
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