- Today's Word
Zestimondo
[zest-ih-MON-doh]
Definition
- (noun) An overwhelming sense of enthusiasm, energy, and passion for life or a particular activity. As an adjective, it describes someone or something that exudes an extraordinary level of vitality and excitement.
Example
After winning the championship, the team’s zestimondo was contagious, spreading throughout the entire stadium and igniting a citywide celebration.
Fun Fact
The creation of new slang words often involves combining familiar sounds or word parts to evoke a specific feeling or idea. In this case, “Zestimondo” blends the energy of “zest” with a playful ending reminiscent of Italian words, creating a term that sounds both familiar and novel. This process of word creation, called “neologism,” is a key driver in language evolution and reflects the creative ways people express new concepts or emotions.
(noun) The range of one’s knowledge, understanding, or awareness.
Quantum physics lies far beyond my ken, no matter how many articles I read.
Ken comes from Old English cennan, meaning “to know” or “to make known,” and is closely related to Middle English and Scots usage where it meant knowledge, perception, or recognition. Over time, the word narrowed to describe the limits of what someone knows or understands, which is why it’s often used today in phrases like “beyond my ken.”