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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 18

Shh! We are having a silent letter series. The word pirate has a silent “e”. Today, 19 September 2025, is #InternationalTalkLikeaPirateDay, a parodic holiday invented in 1995 by John Baur (“Ol’ Chumbucket”) and Mark Summers (“Cap’n Slappy”), of Albany, Oregon, USA.

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 18

#Wiktionary #WOTD for 19 September 2025: “pirate shirt”—“synonym of ‘poet shirt’ (‘a loose-fitting blouse with full bishop sleeves, usually decorated with large frills on the front and the cuffs’)” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

A man wearing a pirate shirt with frills around the neck and cuffs, and other pirate garb including a tricorn, an eye patch, and a medallion around his neck. By Cristiano Betta (CC-BY 2.0 Generic; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pirate_Tom_-_098_(4659416945).jpg).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 18

#Wiktionary #FWOTD for 18 September 2025: “għomor” (Maltese)—“lifespan, lifetime (the entire time of a person’s life; with regard to living persons also: that which has passed of it or that which remains); age (quality of having lived for a particular time); [...]” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

An older man sitting at a table playing bingo in Malta. He is writing on a bingo card with his right hand. By Noport (CC-BY-SA 4.0 International; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Game_of_bingo.jpg).

enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 17

Shh! We are having a silent letter series. The word “handkerchief” has a silent “d”.

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 17

#Wiktionary #WOTD for 18 September 2025: “handkerchief tree”—“the dove tree (Davidia involucrata), which has large white bracts said to look like handkerchiefs; (archaic) an arrangement of handkerchiefs in the form of a tree, [...]” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

A handkerchief tree or dove tree (Davidia involucrata), which has large white bracts said to look like handkerchiefs. By Rasbak (CC-BY-3.0 Unported; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zakdoekjesboom_bloemen_(Davidia_involucrata).jpg).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 17

Shh! We are having a silent letter series. The word indict has a silent “c”.

enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 17

#Wiktionary #WOTD for 17 September 2025: “indict a ham sandwich”—“(intransitive, chiefly US, criminal law, humorous, hyperbolic, idiomatic) of a grand jury: to charge a person with a crime, despite a perceived lack of evidence” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

A ham and cheese sandwich made with a baguette. By jeffreyw (CC-BY 2.0 Generic; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ham_and_cheese_sandwich.jpg).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 17

#Wiktionary #FWOTD for 17 September 2025: “شلح” (šalaḥ; North Levantine Arabic)—“(intransitive) to disrobe, undress [with عَن (ʕan) ‘off of (oneself)’ (optional)]; to take off [with direct object ‘article(s) of clothing’]; to throw, toss” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

A bellydancer wearing a costume exposing her midriff, with her arms outstretched. By Sarah Skinner (CC-BY 2.0 Generic; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blanca_Bellydance_001_(cropped).jpg).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 16

Shh! We are having a silent letter series. This word has a silent “b”. Today is also the #InternationalDayforthePreservationoftheOzoneLayer, which is recognized by the United Nations to commemorate the date in 1987 when the #MontrealProtocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed.

enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 16

#Wiktionary #WOTD for 16 September 2025: “subtle”—“of an argument or concept, words, etc.: requiring one to distinguish between fine points, especially if it is difficult to do so; nice; also (generally), difficult to grasp; not easily understood or obvious. [...]” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

A man looking confused, with his right hand scratching the back of his head. By FelipeIbazeta (CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Confused_Felipe.jpg).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 16

#Wiktionary #FWOTD for 16 September 2025: “mʘôa” (Nluu)—“cat” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

An orange cat in South Africa. By Elucidate (CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Felis_catus.jpg).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 16

#Wiktionary #FWOTD for 15 September 2025: “不可抗力” (fukakōryoku; Japanese)—“act of God; irresistible force; inevitability; (law) force majeure; vis major” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

Members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces walking on a severely damaged road while assisting during the aftermath of the 2024 Noto Earthquake. By the Ministry of Defense of Japan (Government of Japan Standard Terms of Use (Ver.2.0); https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JSDF_Noto_Earthquake_2024-01-17_1.jpg).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 14

Shh! We are having a silent letter series. This word often has a silent “a”. Today, 15 September 2025, is also the #InternationalDayofDemocracy, which is recognized by the United Nations to promote and uphold the principles of #democracy.

enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 14

#Wiktionary #WOTD for 15 September 2025: “democratically”—“in a democratic way; according to the principles of democracy” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

An older woman filling in a ballot paper with the help of an election worker in her home during an election in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. By Suyash Dwivedi (CC-BY-SA 4.0 International; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_senior_citizen_above_80_is_casting_her_vote_from_home_in_Bhopal-01.jpg).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 14

#Wiktionary #FWOTD for 14 September 2025: “ambing” (Betawi)—“(transitive, intransitive) to rock (a child to sleep) in a cradle” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

A woman in Java, Indonesia, holding a baby in a sling around her torso. By Peter van der Sluijs (CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mother_of_Java.jpg).

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Wikipedia @wikipedia.org · Sep 13

We promise this pandemic was only virtual.

20 years ago, an unexpected event in the online game "World of Warcraft" caught the attention of players and researchers. A new dungeon introduced a boss whose special attack temporarily drained a player’s health and could spread to others nearby. 🧵⬇️ (1/3)

Two adults in elaborate fantasy cosplay, one as a pink-skinned elf and the other as a green-skinned orc, at a convention. Text says: What happens during a virtual pandemic? 20 years ago, the Corrupted Blood Incident took place in the online game World of Warcraft.

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Reposted by enwiktionary

Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · Sep 13

Groyper

#etymology #wordorigins #language #uspolitics

Groyper — Wordorigins.org

13 September 2025 This is free issue of the monthly “Words in the News” feature. Groypers are a loose association of white-nationalist, antisemitic homophobes who follow neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes....

www.wordorigins.org

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Peter Gilliver @petermgilliver.bsky.social · Sep 13

Robert Henderson Carothers (1848–1923) is my latest #OEDMaker—after a bit of a gap caused by doing yet more research on the fascinating E. S. Dodgson—and here’s a piece about him. Also available on Facebook to @DictionarySocNA members and at themakersoftheoed.wordpress.com/the-quotatio...

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Reposted by enwiktionary

Mai Opine 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🇪🇺 @maiopine.bsky.social · Sep 13

Michael Rosen @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social just did a Word of Mouth episode on the Sound of Words and how many might reflect the thing or action more than the obvious onomatopoeia. Can't for the life of me imagine 'snerdle' represents the sound of taking comfort on one's bed covers.

Word of Mouth - Crash Bang Wallop: The Sound of Words - BBC Sounds

Michael Rosen and Dr Catherine Laing discuss words that sound like their meanings.

www.bbc.co.uk

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 13

#Wiktionary #WOTD for 14 September 2025: “trackless”—“of a place: not having tracks or paths; pathless, untrodden; also, having had all tracks removed; [...] (rail transport, road transport) of a train, tram, etc.: not running on tracks” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

Trackless trolleys in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A. By Pi.1415926535 (CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MBTA_trackless_trolleys_at_North_Cambridge_Carhouse,_April_2017.JPG).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 13

#Wiktionary #WOTD for 13 September 2025: “barchan”—“(geology, also attributive) an arc-shaped shifting sand dune comprising well-sorted (uniformly sized) sand”. from Russian “барха́н” (barxán), from a Turkic language such as Kazakh “барқан” (barqan). en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

A barchan in Death Valley National Park, California, U.S.A. By Daniel Mayer (CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mesquite_Sand_Dunes.JPG).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 13

#Wiktionary #FWOTD for 13 September 2025: “बोहनी” (bohnī; Hindi)—“first sale for ready money early in the day; handsel (regarded as a good omen and as determining the seller’s luck for the day); [...]” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

A person holding up a folded 500 Indian rupee note showing the Red Fort in Delhi, with the actual building in the distance. By Waitforyuvi (CC-BY-SA 4.0 International; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_forced_perspective_of_the_Red_Fort_in_Old_Delhi,_India.jpg).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 13

#Wiktionary #FWOTD for 12 September 2025: “ลมหายใจ” (lom-hǎai-jai; Thai)—“breath”. From “ลม” (lom, “air”) +‎ “หายใจ” (hǎai-jai, “to breathe”); literally “breathed air” or “air of breathing”. en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

A black-and-white photograph of a swimmer wearing a swimming cap and goggles taking a breath. By Kir's eye (CC-BY-SA 4.0 International; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inspiration_(sens_1).jpg).

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enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 11

#Wiktionary #WOTD for 12 September 2025: “flat-footed”—“of a person: having the physical condition of flat feet (‘a condition where the soles of the feet are in full contact with the ground, [...]’); (US) unprepared, unready; [...]” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

The soles of the feet of a flat-footed person. By Whisperingcamel (CC-BY-SA 4.0 International; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flat_feet_soles.jpg).

enwiktionary @enwiktionary.bsky.social · Sep 11

#Wiktionary #FWOTD for 11 September 2025: “chikhaphwi” (Chichewa)—“water which is accidentally drunk when swimming” en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktion...

Teenage girls swimming in a river in South Africa. By EllyGee (CC-BY-SA 4.0 International; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Girls_swimming_in_a_river_in_rawsonville,western_cape,south_africa.jpg).

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