Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2025/January

1. (chiefly psychology, uncountable) The characteristic or feeling that anything is possible, and there are no limits on what may be achieved; (countable, rare) an instance of this.

Here’s to a new year filled with promise—happy New Year from all of us at the English Wiktionary!

1. (chiefly Christianity, historical, especially Middle Ages) A sweet smell, usually likened to that of flowers, said to be emitted by the bodies of saints during their life, or especially at or after death.
2. (figurative)
   1. A person's reputation for, or state of, holiness.
   2. (chiefly humorous or ironic) A (supposed) general aura of goodness or virtue.

The French nun Saint Thérèse of Lisieux was born on this day in 1873. At her death, she is said to have produced a strong scent of roses which was detectable for days afterward.

1. (dated) In any situation, however well planned, something can always go wrong.

1. (Christianity) Synonym of aspergillum (“an implement, in the form of a brush or of a rod with a perforated container, for sprinkling holy water”)
2. (by extension, weaponry, historical) A 16th-century weapon consisting of a heavy ball set with spikes attached rigidly to a staff, used mainly in England; a morning star.

1. One of an array of open compartments for housing pigeons in a dovecote or pigeon loft.
2. (archaic) A hole or opening in a door or wall for a pigeon to pass through.
3. (by extension)
   1. One of an array of open compartments in a desk, set of shelves, etc., used for sorting and/or storing letters, papers, or other items.
      2. One of an array of open compartments for receiving mail and other messages at a college, office, etc.
   2. A compartment or cubicle in a room or other place, especially one which is (excessively) small.
   3. A small opening for looking or passing things through.
      1. (nautical, archaic) An opening in a ship for passing equipment such as an oar or rigging through.
   4. (historical, chiefly in the plural, also attributive) A form of stocks with openings for restraining a person's hands or feet; also, one of the openings in the device.
   5. (obsolete, theater) A seat in the top row of the gallery of a theatre.
4. (figurative)
   1. A notional category or class into which someone or something is placed.
   2. (typography, archaic) A space between two words that is too wide.

pigeonhole v (transitive)

1. To construct pigeonholes (noun sense 1 or sense 3.1) in (a place); also, to subdivide (a place) into pigeonholes.
2. To put (letters, papers, or other items) into pigeonholes or small compartments; also, to arrange or sort (items) by putting into pigeonholes.
3. (figurative)
   1. To arrange (items) for future reference or use.
   2. To put aside (advice, a proposal, or other matter) for future consideration instead of acting on it immediately; to shelve.
   3. To place (someone or something) into a notional category or class, especially in a way which makes unjustified assumptions or which is restrictive; to categorize, to classify, to label.

Today is National Bird Day in the U.S.A., which is promoted by the Avian Welfare Coalition to encourage the leaving of birds in the wild and to improve the welfare of birds in captivity.

1. Chiefly followed by on or upon: leaning, or lying, reclining, or resting, on something else.
   1. (botany) Of an anther: lying on the inner side of the filament; also, of a cotyledon: having its back lying against the radicle.
   2. (zoology) Of a body part such as a hair, spine, or wing: bent downwards or otherwise positioned so that it, or part of it, rests on or touches something else; specifically (ornithology), of the hind toe of a bird: fully resting on a support.
2. (figurative)
   1. Being the current holder of an office or a title; specifically (Christianity, obsolete), of an ecclesiastical benefice.
   2. Oppressive, pressuring.
   3. Followed by on or upon: imposed on one as an obligation, especially due to one's office or position.
   4. (poetic) Hanging or leaning over.
   5. (obsolete) Putting much effort into an activity or some work.
   6. (obsolete) Weighing on one's mind.

incumbent n

1. The current holder of an office or title; (specifically, Christianity) the holder of an ecclesiastical benefice.
2. (business) A holder of a position as supplier to a market or market segment that allows the holder to earn above-normal profits.

Today the votes of the Electoral College in the 2024 United States presidential election are being formally counted before a joint session of Congress; following this, the Vice President, as the president of the Senate, will announce the result of the election.

1. (chiefly UK, Christianity) A home farm owned by a parish, assigned as part of a benefice to a parish priest, pastor, rector, or vicar to provide them with income.

1. (music) Used as a scat word in song lyrics.

shoop n

1. (slang, chiefly humorous) Used as a singular form of sheep: an individual sheep.

1. (Internet slang) An image that has been modified using Adobe Photoshop or similar image-manipulation software to produce a misleading impression; an instance of amateur, petty fauxtography.

“The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)”, written by Rudy Clark and sung by Merry Clayton, was first released this month in 1964.

1. (uncountable, computing, finance) A decentralized cryptocurrency using blockchain technology.

bitcoin n

1. (countable, computing, finance) A unit of the bitcoin (proper noun sense 1) cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin was first released on this date in 2009.

1. (transitive)
   1. To cause (something) to no longer be ravelled or tangled; to disentangle, to untangle.
   2. To separate the threads of (something knitted or woven, such as clothing or fabric).
   3. (figurative)
      1. To separate the connected or united parts of (something); to throw (something) into disorder; to confound, to confuse, to disintegrate.
      2. (also reflexive) To clear (something) from complication or difficulty; to investigate and solve (a mystery, a problem, etc.); to unfold, to work out.
      3. (obsolete) To reverse or undo (something); to annul, to negate.
2. (intransitive)
   1. To become no longer ravelled or tangled.
   2. Of threads: to become separated from something knitted or woven, such as clothing or fabric; also, of something knitted or woven: to separate into threads; to come apart.
   3. (figurative) Of a thing: to have its connected or united parts separated; to be thrown into disorder; to become confused or undone; to collapse.

1. (military, weaponry, historical) A large, heavy knife or short sword used by 17th- to 19th-century artillery and infantry soldiers as a sidearm and a tool for cutting fascines (“cylindrical bundles of small sticks of wood, used for strengthening purposes”) and other things.

1. (transitive)
   1. To collect (fruit, grain, or other produce) from a field, an orchard, etc., after the main gathering or harvest.
   2. To collect fruit, grain, or other produce from (a field, an orchard, etc.), after the main gathering or harvest.
   3. (figurative)
      1. To gather (something, now chiefly something intangible such as experience or information) in small amounts over a period of time, often with some difficulty; to scrape together.
      2. To take away (someone's) possessions; to strip (someone) bare.
      3. (zoology) Of an animal, especially a bat or a bird: to feed by picking up or plucking (prey, mainly arthropods such as insects) from various places.
      4. (obsolete) To collect or gather (things) into one mass.
      5. (obsolete, military) To cut off (straggling soldiers separated from their units) during a conflict; to isolate.
2. (intransitive)
   1. To collect fruit, grain, or other produce after the main gathering or harvest.
   2. (zoology) Of an animal, especially a bat or a bird: to feed by picking up or plucking prey, mainly arthropods such as insects, from various places.

glean n

1. (obsolete except UK, dialectal) A collection of something made by gleaning.

1. (idiomatic) An excess of something; a large yield.

1. (farriery, veterinary medicine) Of a horse: having spavin (“a disease of horses caused by a bony swelling which develops in a leg due to inflammation”).
2. (by extension) Of a person: lame due to a leg disease.
3. (figurative) Of a person or a thing: old, worn-out; also, obsolete.

1. Synonym of crossguard (“a metal bar fixed between, and at right angles to, the blade and the handle of a sword or other bladed weapon that stops an opponent's similar weapon from sliding along the blade and injuring the hand of the person wielding the sword”)
2. (chiefly in the plural) Either of the two arms of a crossguard.

1. (transitive)
   1. (also reflexive) Followed by of: to free (oneself or someone, or a place) from an annoyance or hindrance.
   2. (also reflexive) Followed by away, from, or out of: to remove (oneself or someone, or something, that is annoying, troublesome, or unwanted).
   3. (now only reflexive) Often followed by from, of, or out of: to free or release, or to rescue or save, (oneself or someone, or something).
   4. (archaic)
      1. To clear (a place or way); especially, to clear (land) of trees, undergrowth, etc.
      2. Sometimes followed by away: to destroy or kill (someone).
      3. Sometimes followed by up: to remove obstacles or refuse from (a place); to clean, to clear out; specifically, to clear or empty (the stomach).
      4. (Cheshire) Followed by up: to eradicate (something); to root out, to uproot.
      5. (Shropshire) Sometimes followed by away or off: to complete or get through (a task, or work).
   5. (chiefly US, regional, rare) Often followed by up: to put (a place, such as a room or a table) in order; to clear, to tidy.
   6. (obsolete)
      1. To dismiss (someone) who has attended on a person; (reflexive) to remove (oneself) from a person's presence after attending to them.
      2. To settle (a disagreement).
      3. (also reflexive) Followed by of: to deprive (oneself or someone) of something; to strip.
      4. (rare) To get away from or get out of (a place); to escape.
2. (intransitive)
   1. (archaic)
      1. To clear land or some other place.
      2. (West Midlands) To clear or empty the stomach; also, to clear the throat.
   2. (obsolete, Northern England) Of work: to be completed.

1. A bright spot in the sky, usually one of two on a parhelic circle on both sides of the sun (or occasionally above and below it), caused by the refraction of the sun's image through ice crystals.

1. (informal) Adorable in a dorky, socially awkward manner.

1. A small nub or protrusion.

1. (Internet slang, derogatory) Alternative spelling of nooblet (“an especially annoying or inexperienced noob (“newbie”)”)

1. To induct (someone) into a dignity or office with a formal ceremony.
2. To dedicate (something, as a building or a monument) for public access or use with a formal ceremony.
3. To initiate or usher in (something, as a (significant) course of action, development, organization, or period of time) with a formal ceremony or in a ceremonious manner; also (loosely), to begin or commence (something); to start.
4. (archaic, rare) To cause (something) to be auspicious or good-omened; also, to declare or make (something) holy; to consecrate, to sanctify.

inaugurate adj

1. (obsolete) Inducted into a dignity or office with a formal ceremony or in a ceremonious manner; inaugurated.

The inauguration of the president of the United States following the 2024 presidential election takes place in Washington, D.C., today.

1. (idiomatic) A desire or idea which is unlikely to materialize, or a plan which is unlikely to work; a near impossibility.

1. Preceded by the: a group of people characterized by being conservative or traditional; also, a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era, remembered either for its inferiority to the current method, or for its superiority over the new way.
2. (music) A style of popular music regarded as more old-fashioned or traditional, or not following newer trends; specifically (often old skool), hip-hop or rap music of the late 1970s and 1980s (or more recent music of this style) as contrasted with newer styles of such music.

old school adj (idiomatic)

1. Now often old-school: characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era, remembered either for its inferiority to the current method, or for its superiority over the new way.
2. (music) Of or relating to a style of popular music regarded as more old-fashioned or traditional, or not following newer trends; specifically (often old skool), of or relating to hip-hop or rap music of the late 1970s and 1980s (or more recent music of this style) as contrasted with newer styles of such music.
3. (US, Christianity, politics) Chiefly in the form Old School: having conservative or traditional views on Christianity or politics.

Today is the International Day of Education, which was first commemorated by the United Nations in 2019 to emphasize the importance of ensuring equitable and inclusive education at all levels so that people may acquire the knowledge and skills needed to participate fully in society and contribute towards sustainable development.

1. (uncountable) Woven woollen fabric with a distinctive pattern of coloured stripes intersecting at right angles originally associated with Scottish Highlanders, now with different clans (though this only dates from the late 18th century) and some Scottish families and institutions having their own patterns; (countable) a particular type of such fabric.
   1. (countable) A pattern used on such fabric.
   2. (uncountable) Clothing made from this fabric.
2. (figurative)
   1. (countable) An individual who wears tartan (sense 1.2); specifically, a Scottish Highlander, or a Scottish person (chiefly a Scotsman) in general.
   2. (countable, fishing) A type of fly used in fly fishing, often to catch salmon.
   3. (countable, UK) A young person who is a member of a Protestant gang in Northern Ireland.
   4. (uncountable) Preceded by the: a group of people customarily wearing tartan; Scottish Highlanders or Scottish people collectively; also, the soldiers of a Scottish Highland regiment collectively.
3. (uncountable, chiefly attributive) Originally a trade name in the form Tartan: a synthetic resin used for surfacing ramps, running tracks, etc.
4. (uncountable, Scotland) Short for tartan-purry (“a porridge made from cabbage mixed with oatmeal”).

tartan adj

1. Made of tartan (noun sense 1), or having a distinctive pattern of coloured stripes intersecting at right angles like a that of a tartan.
2. (figurative, sometimes humorous) Of or relating to Scotland, its culture, or people; Scottish.

tartan v (transitive)

1. To clothe (someone) in tartan (noun sense 1.2).
2. To apply a tartan pattern to (something).
3. (figurative) To make (something) Scottish, or more Scottish; to tartanize.

Burns night is held on this date in celebration of the Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns (born on 25 January 1759), and usually involves Scottish foods and recitals of his poetry.