Merriam-Webster Word of the Day - Candor

WORD OF THE DAY December 6, 2017

candor    noun | KAN-der     Definition   1 : whiteness, brilliance   2 : freedom from prejudice or malice : fairness   3 : unreserved, honest, or sincere expression : forthrightness   Scroll down for more about candor       WORD GAMES AND QUIZZES: WEEKLY CHALLENGE   Intact Latin Quiz   What did each of these words mean to ancient Romans?     PLAY NOW     Nailed this quiz? We have plenty more to try!  TAKE ME THERE     Plus:   SEE WHAT LOOKUPS ARE TRENDING NOW!         Did You Know?   The origins of candor shine through in its first definition. Candor traces back to the Latin verb candēre ("to shine or glow"), which in turn derives from the same ancient root that gave the Welsh language can, meaning "white," and the Sanskrit language candati, which translates to "it shines." Other descendants of candēre in English include candid, incandescent, candle, and the somewhat less common candent and candescent (both of which are synonyms of incandescent in the sense of "glowing from or as if from great heat"). There is even excandescence, an uncommon word that refers to a feverish condition brought on by anger or passion.     Examples of CANDOR   "In an e-mail, Shonda Rhimes praised [Jenji] Kohan's kindness and candor, calling her one of the few showrunners with whom she can talk honestly about career strategy." — Emily Nussbaum, The New Yorker, 4 Sept. 2017   "'I pay very little attention to legal rules, statutes, constitutional provisions,' he said in a retirement interview. He deserves credit for candor, at least." — National Review, 2 Oct. 2017   Test Your Vocabulary   Fill in the blanks to complete a word that means "lacking in candor": _ i _ i _ g _ n _ o _ s.   VIEW THE ANSWER           WORDS AT PLAY     8 Nicer Ways to Say 'Stupid'   As illustrated by some very smart, very good pups   SEE THE FULL LIST

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