TAS-i-turn
(adjective) Reserved or uncommunicative in speech.
The taciturn detective revealed little, even under pressure.
Fun Fact
Taciturn comes from the Latin taciturnus, meaning “not talkative.” It often appears in literature to describe mysterious or stoic characters—think Clint Eastwood’s cowboy or Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Unlike shy or introverted, taciturn implies intentional silence, not just social discomfort.
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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