Abstract
This issue’s editorial explores three popular word-related websites for writers and editors: WordDaily, Word Smarts, and Dictionary.com. WordDaily offers quick definitions and origins without distractions. Word Smarts is described as a site for writers to delve into grammar and obscure punctuation, aiming to make learning fun, and it has previously published articles on topics like the Oxford comma. Dictionary.com, the site the author has used the longest, provides comprehensive content including definitions, pronunciations, etymologies, and Latin derivations, and also publishes a "Word of the Year". For 2024, Dictionary.com's Word of the Year is "demure," chosen due to a 1,200% increase in web media usage and a slight shift in its definition from "reserved, quiet, or modest" to "refined or sophisticated". The selection process involves analyzing headlines, social media trends, and search engine results. The author also reveals his personal Word of the Year for 2024 is "lucubrate," valuing its Latin origin and personal resonance.
Recommended Citation
Orr, Daniel L. II, DDS, MS, Ph.D., JD, MD
(2025)
"And the Word of the Year is…,"
AADEJ - The Communicator: Vol. 11:
Iss.
1, Article 2.
Available at:
https://commons.ada.org/aadej-communicator/vol11/iss1/2