In an age where AI and Donald Trump have left many doubting the truth, US dictionary Merriam-Webster has revealed 2023’s most looked-up word. Photo: Pexels
Word of the day: Wanderwort
Expand your vocabulary with The South African’s word of the day. Each day The South African offers you an opportunity to learn new words.
In an age where AI and Donald Trump have left many doubting the truth, US dictionary Merriam-Webster has revealed 2023’s most looked-up word. Photo: Pexels
Learn some of the most interesting English words from The South African’s WORD OF THE DAY!
If you are a wordsmith or just want to learn a new word to impress that special someone, this is the content for you!
Today’s word of the day is:
Wanderwort
Wanderwort: noun-a loanword borrowed from one language and established in many unrelated languages, usually in a chain determined by established trade routes, and sometimes undergoing changes through contact with the dominant language where the word is adopted.
Pronunciation: won-der-wawrt
Wanderwort is a borrowing from German and literally translates as “wander word.” German wander shares an origin with the English verbs wander, wend, and wind. Meanwhile, German Wort is related to English word. Wanderwort was first recorded in English in the early 1910s. For examples of Wanderwörter in English, check out the Words of the Day caterwaul and matcha.
Example: His joy in researching the wanderwort led him to pursue a degree in historical linguistics.
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