- Today's Word
Repose
ruh-POHZ
Definition
(noun) A state of rest, tranquility, or calm.
Example
After months of stress, she finally found repose on the quiet lakeshore.
Fun Fact
Repose has long been a favorite theme in art and literature, often used to depict not just physical rest, but deeper ideas of peace, death, or emotional resolution. In classical painting, figures in repose symbolize serenity or surrender, as seen in Renaissance works by Titian or Botticelli. Even in modern contexts, the word is used metaphorically—finding repose might mean achieving a moment of clarity, relief, or inner calm after a long period of conflict or exhaustion.
(adjective) Severe or strict in manner or appearance; having no comforts or luxuries; pleasingly simple and unadorned.
The monastery’s austere design — bare stone walls, minimal furniture, and no decoration — was intentional, meant to keep the monks focused on contemplation rather than comfort.
Austere comes from the Greek austēros, meaning “harsh” or “rough to the taste,” originally used to describe the bitter, drying quality of unripe fruit. The word passed into Latin as austerus and then into Old French before arriving in English in the 14th century. Its early use referred to physical sensations before expanding to describe strict, unadorned behavior and environments.