presentation definition merriam

• presentation

: an activity in which someone shows, describes, or explains something to a group of people

: the way in which something is arranged, designed, etc. : the way in which something is presented

: the act of giving something to someone in a formal way or in a ceremony

Full Definition of PRESENTATION

First known use of presentation, related to presentation, other business terms, rhymes with presentation, definition of presentation for kids, medical definition of presentation, learn more about presentation.

• presentation copy
• presentation piece
• presentation time
• breech presentation
• face presentation

Seen & Heard

What made you want to look up presentation ? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

• Spanish Central
• Learner's ESL Dictionary
• WordCentral for Kids
• Visual Dictionary
• SCRABBLE ® Word Finder
• Merriam-Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
• Britannica English - Arabic Translation
• Nglish - Spanish-English Translation
• Advertising Info
• Dictionary API
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• About Our Ads
• Browser Tools
• The Open Dictionary
• Browse the Dictionary
• Browse the Thesaurus
• Browse the Spanish-English Dictionary
• Browse the Medical Dictionary

• Daily Crossword
• Word Puzzle
• Word Finder

Word of the Day

• Synonym of the Day
• Word of the Year
• Language stories
• All featured
• Gender and sexuality
• All pop culture
• Grammar Coach ™
• Writing hub
• Grammar essentials
• Commonly confused
• All writing tips
• Pop culture
• Writing tips

Advertisement

presentation

[ prez- uh n- tey -sh uh n , pree-zen- ]

• an act of presenting.
• the state of being presented.
• a social introduction, as of a person at court.
• an exhibition or performance, as of a play or film.
• offering, delivering, or bestowal, as of a gift.
• a demonstration, lecture, or welcoming speech.

His presentation was very poor.

• Commerce. the presentment of a bill, note, or the like.
• the position of the fetus in the uterus during labor.

a breech presentation.

• Ecclesiastical. the act or the right of presenting a member of the clergy to the bishop for institution to a benefice.

/ ˌprɛzənˈteɪʃən /

• the act of presenting or state of being presented

the presentation of the project is excellent but the content poor

his presentation of the facts was muddled

a presentation on the company results

• an offering or bestowal, as of a gift

a presentation copy of a book

• a performance or representation, as of a play
• the formal introduction of a person, as into society or at court; debut
• the act or right of nominating a clergyman to a benefice
• med the position of a baby relative to the birth canal at the time of birth
• See presentment commerce another word for presentment
• television linking material between programmes, such as announcements, trailers, or weather reports
• See gift an archaic word for gift
• philosophy a sense datum
• See Candlemas often capital another name for (feast of) Candlemas

Discover More

Derived forms.

• ˌpresenˈtational , adjective

Other Words From

• nonpres·en·tation noun
• self-presen·tation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of presentation 1

Example Sentences

Look no further than those execs who have sat through online presentations outlining a more inclusive workplace only to have to go back to working in teams where they’re made to feel different.

The day of the presentation comes, and the ecommerce team gathers around, continuously nodding along with each slide.

In the questions-and-answer presentation on Wednesday, Palantir did not address the issue of voting power.

For repurposing, you can use four different formats, which are – video series, infographics, podcasts, and presentations.

This presentation will explain the ins and outs of the process as well as the need for older children who are looking for a home as well.

We were scoring it like the Olympics: presentation, technique.

Bogucki includes the leaflet in a Powerpoint presentation he has developed.

Her biggest surprise, she said, was realizing how much presentation and technical points mattered.

That may be partially because The Big Lebowski is their most nihilistic presentation.

One of the hottest tickets at the 2014 edition of Comic-Con, the annual nerd mecca in San Diego, was the Marvel presentation.

You were obliging enough to ask me to accept a presentation copy of your verses.

Nor was ever a better presentation made of the essential program of socialism.

After the presentation of the Great Southern case our Bill was heard and all the opposition.

The presentation of the Railway case and the rebutting evidence did not begin till all the public witnesses had been heard.

Furthermore, a note is payable on demand when it is thus stated, or is payable at sight or on presentation.

Related Words

• demonstration
• introduction

[ ak -s uh -lot-l ]

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

• Dictionaries home
• American English
• Collocations
• German-English
• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Recent additions
• Resources home
• Text Checker

Definition of presentation noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

presentation

Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

Recent Blogs

How to Add Voice Over to Video: A Step-by-Step Guide

Voice Simulator & Content Creation with AI-Generated Voices

Convert Audio and Video to Text: Transcription Has Never Been Easier.

How to Record Voice Overs Properly Over Gameplay: Everything You Need to Know

Voicemail Greeting Generator: The New Way to Engage Callers

How to Avoid AI Voice Scams

Character AI Voices: Revolutionizing Audio Content with Advanced Technology

Best AI Voices for Video Games

How to Monetize YouTube Channels with AI Voices

Multilingual Voice API: Bridging Communication Gaps in a Diverse World

Resemble.AI vs ElevenLabs: A Comprehensive Comparison

Apps to Read PDFs on Mobile and Desktop

How to Convert a PDF to an Audiobook: A Step-by-Step Guide

AI for Translation: Bridging Language Barriers

IVR Conversion Tool: A Comprehensive Guide for Healthcare Providers

Best AI Speech to Speech Tools

AI Voice Recorder: Everything You Need to Know

The Best Multilingual AI Speech Models

Program that will Read PDF Aloud: Yes it Exists

How to Convert Your Emails to an Audiobook: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

How to Convert iOS Files to an Audiobook

How to Convert Google Docs to an Audiobook

How to Convert Word Docs to an Audiobook

Alternatives to Deepgram Text to Speech API

Is Text to Speech HSA Eligible?

Can You Use an HSA for Speech Therapy?

Surprising HSA-Eligible Items

Ultimate guide to ElevenLabs

Voice changer for Discord

How to download YouTube audio

Speechify text to speech helps you save time

Popular blogs.

The Best Celebrity Voice Generators in 2024

Youtube text to speech: elevating your video content with speechify.

The 7 best alternatives to Synthesia.io

Everything you need to know about text to speech on TikTok

The 10 best text-to-speech apps for android, how to convert a pdf to speech.

The top girl voice changers

How to use siri text to speech.

Obama text to speech

Robot Voice Generators: The Futuristic Frontier of Audio Creation

Pdf read aloud: free & paid options, alternatives to fakeyou text to speech, all about deepfake voices.

TikTok voice generator

Only available on iPhone and iPad

To access our catalog of 100,000+ audiobooks, you need to use an iOS device.

Coming to Android soon...

Join the waitlist

Enter your email and we will notify you as soon as Speechify Audiobooks is available for you.

You’ve been added to the waitlist. We will notify you as soon as Speechify Audiobooks is available for you.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Business Jargons

A Business Encyclopedia

Presentation

Definition : A presentation is a form of communication in which the speaker conveys information to the audience. In an organization presentations are used in various scenarios like talking to a group, addressing a meeting, demonstrating or introducing a new product, or briefing a team. It involves presenting a particular subject or issue or new ideas/thoughts to a group of people.

It is considered as the most effective form of communication because of two main reasons:

• Use of non-verbal cues.
• Facilitates instant feedback.

Business Presentations are a tool to influence people toward an intended thought or action.

Parts of Presentation

• Introduction : It is meant to make the listeners ready to receive the message and draw their interest. For that, the speaker can narrate some story or a humorous piece of joke, an interesting fact, a question, stating a problem, and so forth. They can also use some surprising statistics.
• Body : It is the essence of the presentation. It requires the sequencing of facts in a logical order. This is the part where the speaker explains the topic and relevant information. It has to be critically arranged, as the audience must be able to grasp what the speaker presents.
• Conclusion : It needs to be short and precise. It should sum up or outline the key points that you have presented. It could also contain what the audience should have gained out of the presentation.

Purpose of Presentation

• To inform : Organizations can use presentations to inform the audience about new schemes, products or proposals. The aim is to inform the new entrant about the policies and procedures of the organization.
• To persuade : Presentations are also given to persuade the audience to take the intended action.
• To build goodwill : They can also help in building a good reputation

Factors Affecting Presentation

Audience Analysis

Communication environment, personal appearance, use of visuals, opening and closing presentation, organization of presentation, language and words, voice quality, body language, answering questions, a word from business jargons.

Presentation is a mode of conveying information to a selected group of people live. An ideal presentation is one that identifies and matches the needs, interests and understanding level of the audience. It also represents the facts, and figures in the form of tables, charts, and graphs and uses multiple colours.

Related terms:

• Verbal Communication
• Visual Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication
• Communication
• 7 C’s of Communication

Reader Interactions

Abbas khan says

October 2, 2022 at 11:33 pm

Thank you so much for providing us with brief info related to the presentation.

Farhan says

February 23, 2023 at 9:45 am

yusra shah says

July 3, 2023 at 2:04 am

it was helpful👍

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Ethics & Leadership
• Fact-Checking
• Media Literacy
• The Craig Newmark Center
• Reporting & Editing
• Ethics & Trust
• Tech & Tools
• Business & Work
• Educators & Students
• Training Catalog
• Custom Teaching
• For ACES Members
• All Categories
• Broadcast & Visual Journalism
• Fact-Checking & Media Literacy
• In-newsroom
• Memphis, Tenn.
• Minneapolis, Minn.
• St. Petersburg, Fla.
• Washington, D.C.
• Poynter ACES Introductory Certificate in Editing
• Poynter ACES Intermediate Certificate in Editing
• Ethics & Trust Articles
• Get Ethics Advice
• Fact-Checking Articles
• International Fact-Checking Day
• Teen Fact-Checking Network
• International
• Media Literacy Training
• MediaWise Resources
• Ambassadors
• MediaWise in the News

Support responsible news and fact-based information today!

Associated Press Stylebook makes Merriam-Webster its official dictionary

If a term isn’t listed in the stylebook, its entry in merriam-webster will be considered ap style..

Merriam-Webster will be the Associated Press Stylebook’s official dictionary starting May 29, stylebook editor Paula Froke announced Friday.

It is the first change to the stylebook’s primary dictionary in decades. If a term isn’t listed in the stylebook, its entry in Merriam-Webster will be considered AP style. Froke and Merriam-Webster editor at large Peter Sokolowski announced the change at a panel at the annual ACES: The Society for Editing conference.

“Merriam-Webster is updated far more frequently to reflect new terms, evolving usage and other developments. We have long consulted Merriam-Webster to help guide our decisions, even when it wasn’t our official dictionary,” Froke told Poynter in an email. “Overall, we find Merriam-Webster more aligned with the AP Stylebook’s needs and approach.”

To maintain consistency with Merriam-Webster, the stylebook has updated several of its rules regarding hyphenation with prefixes and suffixes. It now advises writers not to use a hyphen with the prefixes out- , post- , pre- and re- . The words semiautomatic and semiautonomous should also be unhyphenated.

The updated stylebook, which publishes its 57th edition this year, will also include expanded guidance on climate change, Froke announced. The topic has recently become a priority for many newsrooms, and the stylebook added several new climate-related terms last year . It continues that trend this year with new entries like community solar , geothermal , lithium ion , energy transition and hydrogen .

“As climate change becomes a larger factor in the daily lives of many people, effective and accurate writing about this far-reaching and sometimes complex topic becomes even more important,” the climate change entry reads.

The stylebook also updated its guidance on the terms Native Americans and Indigenous people(s). Though reporters can use Native Americans to broadly refer to two or more people of different tribal affiliations within the contiguous United States, they should not use it to refer to an individual or to multiple people from the same tribe.

When referring to individuals, reporters should use the proper name of their tribe and specify whether the person is an enrolled citizen of the tribe or a descendant of an enrolled citizen. The stylebook notes that some individuals may prefer using their tribe’s official name: “For example, some members of the Navajo Nation refer to themselves as Diné , the Navajo word for the people .”

Journalists should not use the term American Indians , which is generally considered outdated, unless referring to tribal citizens who use the term in reference to themselves or others. “American Indians” is also acceptable when it appears in a legal context or in an organization’s name.

Reporters should also avoid using possessive language unless they are referring to Native Hawaiians. For example, instead of referring to “Oklahoma’s Native American tribes,” reporters should write, “Native American tribes in Oklahoma.” “Hawaii’s Indigenous people,” is acceptable, however. The stylebook notes that the term Hawaiian should only be used for “members of the ethnic group indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands.”

Indigenous people(s) is acceptable as a broad description of “the original inhabitants of a place globally,” the stylebook notes. But reporters should be specific when possible since the term “does not capture the political relationship or political status of Native American tribes or people.” Examples of appropriate uses of the term include “Indigenous people in the United States and Canada” or “Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.”

The stylebook also updated its guidance on bulleted lists. Journalists should not use a period after items in a list unless the item is a complete sentence.

Topography of a news ecosystem: A first-of-its-kind study diagnoses the local news crisis in a single state

Media scholars at the University of Maryland documented the spread of local news dead spots — and unexpected vibrant areas — in that state.

$12 million Global Fact Check Fund opens applications for second year of grants

A partnership between Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network and Google and YouTube continues to support fact-checking initiatives worldwide

Opinion | A columnist made a controversial introduction to Caitlin Clark

IndyStar sports columnist Gregg Doyel has been crushed online and accused of being creepy, sexist and worse. He’s since apologized multiple times

‘Satanic rituals’ at Taylor Swift shows? That’s false. And experts say the attack isn’t new.

Experts say musicians have been accused of performing satanic rituals for decades

How a longtime film critic’s death represents the great dissolve of local film criticism

Bryan VanCampen of The Ithaca Times was an institution in the central New York college town of 32,000. He might have been the last of his kind.

Start your day informed and inspired.

Get the Poynter newsletter that's right for you.

Definition of 'presentation'

• presentation

Video: pronunciation of presentation

presentation in American English

Presentation in british english, examples of 'presentation' in a sentence presentation, related word partners presentation, trends of presentation.

View usage over: Since Exist Last 10 years Last 50 years Last 100 years Last 300 years

Browse alphabetically presentation

• present-day
• present-day reality
• presentable
• presentation box
• presentation ceremony
• presentation copy
• All ENGLISH words that begin with 'P'

Related terms of presentation

• award presentation
• brief presentation
• medal presentation
• oral presentation
• View more related words

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

Wordle Helper

Scrabble Tools

By clicking Sign In, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Sign In Up with your social account

We won't post to any of your accounts

Your password must include:

• Min 8 characters
• Min 1 lowercase character
• Min 1 uppercase character
• Min 1 number

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Listening Essentials Include a Dictionary and More

The chairman of the Tortured Poets Department, better known as Taylor Swift , has revealed exactly how fans should listen to her 11th studio album.

In a social message shared via the official department intern (a.k.a. Taylor Nation’s X page), the official “board meeting agenda” for Friday, April 19 at midnight details the event’s purpose, discussion topics and essentials to bring along to any listening parties.

“The intern will call the meeting to order and department members will stream the chairman’s manuscript,” the message reads, referring to Swift’s LP The Tortured Poets Department . “Sign into your streaming platform of choice and press play simultaneously so all members can review the evidence together. Relaxed poets, consult your tortured muse before attending.”

While pondering on the tracks — which are listed on the agenda as “12 a.m. discussion topics” — Swift, 34, also advises what fans should have handy, including a listening device, a “department-issued uniform,” talismans, charms and snacks (it will be late at night, after all) and a dictionary.

Related: Taylor Swift’s Literary References Before ‘The Tortured Poets Department’

With Taylor Nation’s agenda proclaiming that a dictionary will be necessary to appreciate TTPD , fans have been theorizing how that corresponds to the record’s lyrics.

From the desk of THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT intern, the #TTPDBoardMeeting agenda. 📜🤍 See you tonight. https://t.co/PTWtDQP87V pic.twitter.com/1mTH0OMhdk — Taylor Nation (@taylornation13) April 18, 2024

“I’m scared too coz apparently I’m going to need a dictionary as [an] international fan,” one social media user wrote via X. “I thought my English was higher, I’m ready with a Cambridge dictionary.”

Another added, “Imma need to buy a dictionary and thesaurus before this album drop. Thanks Taylor Alison Swift.”

Swift is well-known for her crafty lyrics, often featuring fancy phrases and uncommon terms in songs. After the November 2023 drop of 1989 (Taylor’s Version ), Swifties ran to their dictionaries to look up “surmise” after it was briefly mentioned in “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version).”

Related: A Guide to Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Bonus Versions

“Only Taylor Swift could rhyme blue eyes with surmise,” an X user wrote at the time. “She probably knows how to rhyme the word orange too.”

A separate fan quipped, “I can’t believe Taylor Swift invented the word ‘surmise.’”

It’s not only Swifties who know that the pop star is an intelligent mastermind, but her boyfriend, Travis Kelce , gets it too.

You have successfully subscribed.

Subscribe to newsletters

By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly

Deal of the Day

Check our latest news in Google News

Check our latest news in Apple News

“I’ve never been a man of words,” Kelce, 34, gushed to WSJ. Magazine in a profile published in November 2023. “Being around her, seeing how smart Taylor is, has been f—ing mind-blowing. I’m learning every day.

Kelce, who has been dating Swift since summer 2023, has already heard TTPD before the official release day. “I have heard some of it, yes, and it is unbelievable,” he said at a February press conference for Super Bowl LVIII. “I can’t wait for her to shake up the world when it finally drops.”

The Tortured Poets Department will be released on Friday, April 19.

In this article

Taylor Swift

More stories.

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Synonyms and antonyms of presentation in English

Presentation, synonyms and examples, see words related to presentation, presentation | american thesaurus.

Word of the Day

be up to your eyeballs in something

to be very busy with something

Binding, nailing, and gluing: talking about fastening things together

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists

Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Know2Protect

Key Definitions

Below is a list of terms relevant to child sexual exploitation and abuse. 

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Child sexual abuse material (CSAM)

Any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old.

Child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA)

A horrific crime that targets some of the most vulnerable people in our communities — children and teens. It includes a broad range of criminal acts that involve victimizing a minor for sexual gratification or some other personal or financial gain. Online CSEA takes many forms, including the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse material , grooming , sextortion and threats of self-harm . Because this crime takes place online, it occurs all over the world and is a global epidemic.

Darknet/dark web

An encrypted portion of the internet that requires special software to access and cannot be accessed by conventional search engines. Although it may be used for legitimate purposes, such as privacy or for the exchange of confidential business information or communication by political activists, it is also a hub for illegal activity and black-market sales.

Fake profiles

Social media profiles that are not associated with a real person or are created using a real person’s personal information without their consent.

Geotagging/geolocation

The process of adding geographical metadata to various media such as photos, videos and text messages. This data is often added by an automated software program within each device.

A set of data that describes and gives information about other data, such as photos and videos. It includes the date, time, pinpoint geolocation (often with maps) and phone information attached to those photos and videos. People can access this information regardless of where the image or video is posted, including in text messages, apps or chat platforms.

Online grooming

A process by which an online predator establishes a connection with a minor by offering support and attention to gain their trust, gathers personal information about them, desensitizes them to sexual content by introducing sexually explicit conversation and pornographic imagery and exploits any vulnerabilities the child may have. Often, online predators pretend to be minors themselves to manipulate children into providing nude or partially nude images or videos of themselves. They then use the material to coerce children and teens into sending more graphic images and videos or a ransom. (See the definition of sextortion to learn more about how ransoms relate to grooming.)

Online enticement

An online predator’s communication with someone they believe to be a child on the internet with the intent to commit a sexual offense or abduction. For more information, visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s resource at Online Enticement: missingkids.org . NCMEC is a globally recognized entity in the fight against child victimization.  Since 2004, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has had a formal partnership in place with NCMEC.

Online predator

Someone who seeks contact with children and teens on the internet for abusive and exploitative purposes that are typically sexual. Predators use the internet to facilitate contact with children and teens to potentially harm them online or offline.

Screen capture/screenshot/screen recording

A picture or video taken of the content displayed on a digital screen, such as a cell phone, computer or tablet

Self-generated content

Sexually explicit images or videos produced by a child or teen themselves and commonly shared among peers.

Hurting or damaging your body on purpose, without suicidal intent, usually in response to intense emotional distress or negative thoughts or feelings. This can include cutting, burning, biting, scratching, picking at wounds or scabs so they don’t heal, pulling out hair, punching or hitting the body

Sending, receiving or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photos or videos via a cellphone, computer or other digital device. 

There are two types of sextortion.

• Traditional sextortion occurs when an online predator threatens or blackmails a victim into providing sexually explicit content; the online predator threatens to share this content with the public.
• Financial sextortion occurs when a predator demands money or gift cards in exchange for keeping the victim’s sexual content private.

Report an Incident

To report an incident, you can call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTypline at https://report.cybertip.org .

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

Welcome to New Words

It’s us. Hi. We’re the dictionary, it’s us. Everybody agrees (and not just at teatime )! And lest you think that it’s all chants and madrigals in our earbuds, we lexicographers are not immune to the occasional earworm , including those penned by a certain singer-songwriter you may be familiar with by the name of Taylor Swift . In fact, we are told that her songs often send listeners to our august pages to look up some of the more unfamiliar words featured in her song titles and lyrics. If you count yourself among such listeners, dear reader, then today might just be the best day. Here’s a list of 10 Swiftean words and some interesting facts about them. Are you... ready for it?

Clandestine

Song Title/Album: “illicit affairs” / folklore

Lyric: “And that’s the thing about illicit affairs / And clandestine meetings and longing stares”

Definition: done in a private place or way : done secretly

About the Word: Clandestine is an adjective that is often used as a substitute for secret and covert , and it is commonly applied to actions that involve secrecy maintained for an evil, illicit (as in “illicit affairs”), or unauthorized purpose. It comes to English by way of Middle French, from Latin clandestinus , which is itself from Latin clam , meaning “secretly.” Although people involved in clandestine activities tend to clam up when asked about them, the bivalve clam has no relation to the Latin clam , but comes instead from the Old English word clamm , meaning “bond” or “ fetter .”

Machiavellian

Song Title/Album: “Mastermind” / Midnights

Lyric: “I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian ‘cause I care”

Definition: using clever lies and tricks in order to get or achieve something : clever and dishonest

About the Word: While inspiring an adjective (such as Swiftean ) may seem like a fine way to achieve linguistic immortality, it must be said that many words taken from people’s names are not as complimentary. Machiavellian —which describes things marked by cunning, duplicity , or bad faith—comes from the Italian political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), the author of the most famous treatise on bare-knuckled politics ever published, The Prince , which brought him a reputation as an immoral cynic and even a teacher of evil.

Incandescent

Song Title/Album: “ivy” / evermore

Lyric: “In from the snow / Your touch brought forth an incandescent glow”

Definition: strikingly bright, radiant, or clear

About the Word: Incandescent first lit up the English language toward the end of the 18th century, at a time when scientific experiments involving heat and light were being conducted on an increasingly frequent basis. An object that glowed at a high temperature (such as a piece of coal) was incandescent. By the mid-1800s, the incandescent lamp —aka the lightbulb—had been invented; it contains a filament which gives off light when heated by an electric current. Incandescent is the modern offspring of a much older parent, the Latin verb candēre , meaning “to glow" (which also gave us the word candle ), and today has several figurative senses, including “very impressive, successful, or intelligent” (as in “an incandescent concert performance”).

Song Title/Album: “Anti-Hero” / Midnights

Lyric: “Did you hear my covert narcissism / I disguise as altruism / Like some kind of congressman?”

Definition: feelings and behavior that show a desire to help other people and a lack of selfishness

About the Word: Altruism refers to a quality possessed by people whose focus is on something other than themselves, and its root reveals the object of those generous tendencies. Altruism comes from the French word altruisme , which in turn comes from autrui , meaning “other people.” In “Anti-Hero,” the song’s narrator suggests that they, like some politicians, are a do-gooder not out of the goodness of their heart, but to satisfy their ego. Seems rather Machiavellian!

Self-effacing

Song Title/Album: “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” / Red (Taylor’s Version)

Lyric: “You who charmed my dad with self-effacing jokes”

Definition: not trying to get attention or praise for yourself or your abilities : modest

About the Word: To be self-effacing is to be modest or humble. Often that involves not taking oneself too seriously—being all too well aware of one’s flaws and faults and unafraid of poking mild fun at them. The “self-effacing” joke referenced in verse four of the extended version of Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well,” would be just such a self-directed dig, even if we don’t know its nature—though if it appeals to Dad it could be a dad joke .

Song Title/Album: “The Albatross” / The Tortured Poets Department

Definition: a continuing problem that makes it difficult or impossible to do or achieve something

About the Word: Albatrosses are exceedingly large seabirds, some species having a wingspan as much as 11 feet across. They are magnificent gliders, capable of staying aloft for hours at a time without flapping their wings, and tend to remain almost entirely at sea, typically coming ashore only to breed. In Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1798 poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner , the titular mariner kills an albatross that has been following his ship, bringing down a curse that leads to the death of all other crew members. As a punishment, the crew hang the dead bird from the mariner’s neck, and he remains alive to witness the ship’s fate unfold. This potent emblem led to the coining of a metaphorical meaning for albatross as something that causes anxiety or guilt or that burdens and encumbers.

At the time of this writing, Taylor Swift’s song “The Albatross” has not yet been released (as a bonus track on some editions of her album The Tortured Poets Department ), so it remains to be seen whether the song is about the literal seabird or something that causes anxiety or guilt. It’s possible also, we suppose, that Swift could be employing yet another sense of albatross , which in golf refers to a score of three under par made on a hole. We are not fortune tellers.

Antithetical

Song Title/Album: “Hits Different” / Midnights

Lyric: “Bet I could still melt your world / Argumentative, antithetical dream girl”

Definition: directly opposite or opposed

About the Word: The adjective antithetical and noun antithesis come from the Greek verb antitithenai (“to oppose”). The oldest sense of antithesis refers to a language pattern that contrasts parallel ideas, as in “action, not words” or "they promised liberty and provided oppression,” and antithetical originally referred to anything that was marked by such antithesis. For example, you could say “The phrase ‘action, not words’ is an antithetical construction.” It is more common, however, for antithesis to mean “the exact opposite” and for antithetical to mean “directly opposite,” as in “his shy demeanor seems antithetical to his dream of being a famous actor.” Usually antithetical is paired with to , as in the previous example, but in Taylor Swift’s song “Hits Different,” she seems to be using the word creatively in a way similar to oppositional .

Lyric: “Take the words for what they are / A dwindling, mercurial high”

Definition: very lively and quick, or changing moods quickly and often

About the Word: The Roman god Mercury was the messenger and herald of the gods and also the god of merchants and thieves (his counterpart in Greek mythology is Hermes ). He was noted for his eloquence, swiftness, and cunning, and the Romans named what appeared to them to be the fastest-moving planet in his honor. Mercurial comes from the Latin adjective mercurialis , meaning “of or relating to Mercury.” Mercurial means both “changing moods quickly and often” (as in “a mercurial personality”) and “very lively and quick” (as in “a mercurial wit”). In our reading, Swift’s use in “illicit affairs” seems closest to the “quick” sense, perhaps with shades of fleeting .

Song Title/Album: “the lakes” / folklore

Lyric: “Is it romantic how all my elegies eulogize me?”

Definition: a sad poem or song : a poem or song that expresses sorrow for someone who is dead

About the Word

Both elegy and eulogy (used in the same “the lakes” lyric) may be used about writing or speech in remembrance of a person who has passed away, and this semantic overlap creates the potential for confusion. Elegy (which may be traced to the Greek word elegos , “song of mourning”) commonly refers to a song or poem lamenting one who is dead; the word may also refer somewhat figuratively to a nostalgic poem, or to a kind of musical composition. While eulogy is also commonly found referring to words about the deceased, its basic meaning, both in English and in the Greek language from which it was borrowed, is “praise.” Formed from the Greek roots eu “good” and logos “speech,” a eulogy is praise given for one who is either living or dead. If you are praising your partner’s unsurpassed beauty or commending the virtues of the deceased at a funeral, you are delivering a eulogy; if you are composing a lamenting reminiscence about a person who has long since passed, you are writing an elegy. If an elegy also happens to eulogize, then yes—that could certainly be construed as romantic, like, say a red rose growing up out of ice frozen ground.

Song Title/Album: “cardigan” / folklore

Lyric: “… I felt like I was an old cardigan / Under someone’s bed / You put me on and said I was your favorite”

Definition: a usually collarless sweater or jacket that opens the full length of the center front

About the Word: As sweaters, cardigans often evoke snuggly vibes and warm fuzzies , but the word cardigan has a more martial backstory. The garment was named after James Thomas Brudenell , 7th earl of Cardigan, who with his inherited wealth personally outfitted his military regiment with what came to be called cardigan jackets.

Word of the Day

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Games & Quizzes

Arts & Culture

If you like to complain about 'decimate'..., the words of the week - apr. 19, a great big list of bread words, a list of the u.s. military ranks in order, the real origin of 'supercalifragilistic', 9 other words for beautiful, rare and amusing insults, volume 2, etymologies for every day of the week, 10 scrabble words without any vowels, 12 more bird names that sound like insults (and sometimes are), grammar & usage, a list of most commonly confused words, more commonly misspelled words, 10 words you see but don't hear, your vs. you're: how to use them correctly, every letter is silent, sometimes: a-z list of examples.