- Today's Word
Twillumescence
[twi-loo-mes-ents]
Definition
- (noun) A serene fusion of “tranquil” and “illuminescence” (the quality of giving off a soft, glowing light), this term describes a state of profound, illuminating tranquility that radiates a soft, glowing peace, soothing the soul and filling one with a sense of serene enlightenment.
Example
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the still waters of the secluded lake took on a twillumescence, reflecting the hues of the twilight sky in a soft, glowing radiance that enveloped the surroundings in a tranquil, illuminating serenity.
Fun Fact
The concept of “twillumescence” celebrates the idea that certain moments or environments can be imbued with such profound tranquility that they seem to radiate a soft, glowing illumination – a serene luminescence that gently illuminates the soul and fills one with a sense of enlightened peace. It suggests a state of being where tranquility and illumination converge, creating an aura of glowing serenity that soothes the spirit and invites one to bask in the gentle radiance of inner peace and enlightenment.
(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.