implacable
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What is the word of the day and how is it pronounced?
It's Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 13th. Today's word is implacable, spelled I-M-P-L-A-C-A-B-L-E. Implacable is an adjective. Someone or something described as implacable is not capable of being appeased or changed.
How is “implacable” defined and what does it mean in everyday usage?
Here's the word used in a sentence from The Economist. Unlike, say, the globetrotting stories of Ian Fleming or John le Carré, in which victories only temporarily frustrate an implacable foe, Agatha Christie's smaller worlds feel put right when the cover closes or credits roll. Implacable is rooted in the Latin verb placare, meaning to soothe. but its M-I-M prefix is a variant of the negating prefix N-I-N, as in inactive. and it signals that there's nothing warm and fuzzy here.
What example from The Economist illustrates the nuance of an implacable foe?
Someone or something described as implacable cannot be soothed, which usually means trouble. Implacable is most often attached to words like foe, enemy, hatred, and hostility. The opposite of implacable, of course, is placable. It means easily soothed, but sadly isn't called upon very often. Another placare word is likely more familiar.
How does the Latin root of “implacable” relate to its opposite, “placable,” and other related words?
Placate means to soothe or appease. It's frequently applied when an angry person is made to feel less so. With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the word of the day and how is it pronounced?
0:06–0:27
2
How is “implacable” defined and what does it mean in everyday usage?
0:27–1:06
3
What example from The Economist illustrates the nuance of an implacable foe?
1:06–1:32
4
How does the Latin root of “implacable” relate to its opposite, “placable,” and other related words?
1:32–1:53