Today's Word

Sybaritic

sib-uh-RIT-ik

Definition

(adjective) Fond of luxury and self-indulgence.

Example

He lived a sybaritic lifestyle, surrounded by velvet robes and vintage wine.

Fun Fact

The word Sybaritic comes from Sybaris, an ancient Greek city infamous for its wealthy, comfort-loving residents. Today, it’s used to describe anyone who chases pleasure and luxury—sometimes with admiration, but often with a hint of critique. It’s a favorite among lifestyle columnists, spa brochures, and Real Housewives recaps.

Previous Words

Fallacy

Today's Word

Fallacy

FAL-uh-see

Definition

(noun) A mistaken belief or flawed line of reasoning that appears convincing but leads to an incorrect conclusion.

Example

The claim that because something is natural it must be safe is a well-known fallacy.

Word Origin

From Latin fallacia, meaning “deceit, trick, artifice,” derived from fallax (“deceitful”), from fallere (“to deceive, to trip up”). The same root gives us “fail,” “false,” “fault,” and “infallible.” A fallacy, at its etymological core, is something that trips you up — a deceptive stumble built into the reasoning itself.

Fun Fact

Aristotle catalogued the first formal list of fallacies in Sophistical Refutations around 350 BCE, identifying 13 types of faulty argument. Today, logicians have catalogued over 100 recognized fallacies — from the ad hominem (attacking the person rather than the argument) to the slippery slope to the Texas sharpshooter (cherry-picking data to support a predetermined conclusion). In an era of social media and rapid-fire debate, being able to name and identify a fallacy on the spot is considered one of the most practically useful intellectual tools a person can develop.

READ MORE...

Sybaritic

Definition

Example

Previous Words

Fallacy

Fallacy

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Fallacy

Chimerical

Unconscionable

Hermetic

Gossamer