- Today's Word
Prosaic
pro-ZAY-ik
Definition
(adjective) Ordinary or unimaginative; lacking poetic beauty.
Example
The prosaic report stuck to data and skipped any flair.
Fun Fact
Prosaic comes from the same root as prose, and was originally a neutral term. But in modern usage, it often carries a quiet insult. If something’s prosaic, it might be reliable—but don’t expect it to be moving. Writers, designers, and critics use it to signal a lack of imagination or flair—even when something is technically competent.
(noun) A natural craving or strong desire; an instinctive inclination toward something
She couldn’t explain her appetence for solo travel — it was simply part of who she was.
Appetence comes from the Latin appetentia, derived from appetere — meaning “to strive after” or “to desire” — itself a combination of ad (“toward”) and petere (“to seek” or “to aim at”). The word entered English in the 17th century, used by philosophers and naturalists to describe instinctive drives in both humans and animals.