POH-ten-tayt
(noun) A powerful ruler or monarch.
The potentate ruled the region for decades with unquestioned authority.
Fun Fact
The term “potentate” has a royal ring to it, but it can also be used ironically. You might hear it in reference to a micromanaging boss or a puffed-up HOA president.
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...
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