jejune: M-W's Word of the Day

****************************************************************
Harvest a bounty of language information with a free
14-day trial to Merriam-WebsterUnabridged.com!
http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/unabridged_sub.pl?refr=U_wod
****************************************************************

The Word of the Day for November 2 is:

jejune \jih-JOON\ adjective
1 : lacking nutritive value
*2 : devoid of significance or interest : dull
3 : juvenile, puerile

Example sentence:
Professor Hazlett's jejune lectures often left students dozing in the auditorium.

Did you know?
If you are starved for excitement, you won't get it from something jejune. That term derives from the Latin "jejunus," which means "empty of food," "meager," or "hungry." Back in the 1600s, English speakers used "jejune" in senses very similar to those of its Latin parent, lamenting "jejune appetites" and "jejune morsels." Something that is meager usually doesn't satisfy one's desires, and before long "jejune" was being used not only for meager meals or hunger, but also for things wanting in intellectual or emotional substance. The word most likely gained its "juvenile" or "childish" sense when people confused it with the look-alike French word "jeune," which means "young."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

You Are Subscribed As: WORDFORTHEDAY.DROP@blogger.com
To unsubscribe, change your e-mail address or to subscribe to the html
version of Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day, featuring audio
pronunciations, please visit:

http://www.startsampling.com/sm/wod/changeofaddress.iphtml

(c) 2005 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

Merriam-Webster, Inc.
47 Federal Street
P.O. Box 281
Springfield, MA 01102

*mf mwt 110205 WORDFORTHEDAY.DROP@blogger.com mf*