- Today's Word
Quixotica
[kwik-SOT-i-kuh]
Definition
- (adjective) A person who is endearingly idealistic, romantic, and always ready for an adventure. They have a knack for seeing the world through rose-colored glasses and are often swept up in grand, imaginative ideas.
Example
With her quixotica nature, Lila always found a way to turn even the most mundane tasks into exciting quests, making everyday life feel like a whimsical adventure.
Fun Fact
The term “quixotica” is derived from the character Don Quixote, the protagonist of Miguel de Cervantes’ famous Spanish novel “Don Quixote.” In the book, Don Quixote is a dreamer who sets out on a quest to revive chivalry and bring justice to the world, often getting caught up in his own imaginative delusions. The novel has inspired countless adaptations and has even influenced the English language, giving rise to the adjective “quixotic,” which describes someone who is exceedingly idealistic and impractical.
(verb) To criticize someone or something severely and publicly, often with harsh or scathing language.
The columnist excoriated the company’s leadership for ignoring repeated safety warnings.
Excoriate comes from the Latin excoriare, meaning “to strip off the skin,” from ex- (“off”) and corium (“hide” or “skin”). While the word originally described physical abrasion, its meaning shifted metaphorically over time to describe verbal attacks so harsh they feel skin-deep, leaving nothing protected.