Word of the Day : April 14, 2018

succinct \suk-SINKT\ adjective

Definition

: marked by compact precise expression without wasted words

Did You Know?

The history of succinct might not be short, but it's a cinch to remember. Succinct traces to Latin succinctus ("tightly wrapped, concise"), which comes from the verb cingere ("to gird"), the word that gave us cincture and cinch. In its earliest uses succinct meant "confined" or "girded up," and, as such, it was often used in reference to garments encircled by a band. Eventually, succinct was extended to the realm of insects, where it meant "supported by a band of silk around the middle" (as in "the succinct pupa of a butterfly"). Later, the word was applied to writings. A "succinct" piece of writing is "compressed" or "compact" and uses as few words as possible.

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    The magician ______ moved the selected card to the top of the deck.




                                  discreetly
                                  discretely








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Aired April 14, 2018

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