- Today's Word
Vociferous
voh-SIF-er-uhs
Definition
- (adjective) Crying out noisily; loud, forceful, and insistent in speech or behavior.
Example
The vociferous crowd at the protest could be heard blocks away.
Fun Fact
“Vociferous” combines the Latin vox (voice) and ferre (to carry), literally meaning “to carry the voice.” The word doesn’t just mean loud—it implies passion, persistence, and refusal to be ignored. It’s often used to describe activists, critics, or fans who make their presence known—loudly and clearly.
(noun) Displaying extreme generosity in giving; lavish and openhanded in the bestowal of gifts or resources.
The philanthropist’s munificence transformed the city — new libraries, funded hospitals, and a university scholarship program that outlasted her by decades.
Munificence derives from the Latin munificentia, built from munus meaning “gift” or “duty” and facere meaning “to make” — literally “the making of gifts.” The same root munus gives us municipal and munitions, both originally tied to the idea of public duties and obligations. It entered English in the 16th century, used almost exclusively to describe the grand, sweeping generosity of rulers, patrons, and institutions rather than everyday acts of giving.