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.
TAW-dree
(adjective) Showy but cheap and of poor quality; lacking good taste.
The room was filled with tawdry decorations that looked like they came from a discount bin.
Mid 17th century: contraction of St. Audrey’s lace, which referred to cheap lace sold at fairs in honor of St. Audrey. Over time, the lace was seen as gaudy and tasteless, and St. Audrey became tawdry.
Fun Fact
The transformation from St. Audrey to tawdry is a classic case of how language evolves through cultural snobbery. Once a respected religious figure, St. Audrey lent her name to lace accessories sold at fairs. But as styles changed, those accessories were considered garish or outdated, and the word became an insult. Today, tawdry is used to describe anything that’s cheaply flashy, overly glitzy, or just in bad taste—from outfits to gossip.