tacit
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What is the definition and pronunciation of the word “tacit”?
It's Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 9th. Today's word is tacit, spelled T-A-C-I-T. Tacit is an adjective. It's a formal word used to describe something that is expressed or understood without being directly stated.
How is “tacit” used in modern media, like the Boston.com documentary example?
Here's the word used in a sentence from Boston.com. Where modern documentaries are slick productions filled with preconceived notions, embedded narratives, and tacit approval of their subjects, Frederick Wiseman's work is slow, contemplative, and refreshingly slant-free. In the first chapter of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, the narrator, Mr. Lockwood... recounts warily encountering three dogs. Although he was sure to sit still, he admits in retrospect that imagining they would scarcely understand tacit insults, I unfortunately indulged in winking and making faces at the trio.
What literary example from Wuthering Heights illustrates tacit insults and non‑verbal communication?
One subsequently leapt onto his knees in fury. His tacit insults were, by the relevant definition of tacit, not expressed with words but, in this case, facial expressions. Tacit can also mean implied or indicated as by an act or by silence, but not expressed. A tacit agreement is one that is understood without being directly stated. And if you have your parents' tacit approval to borrow the car, or if your children have your tacit approval, you don't have to ask or be asked.
How does the episode explain the origins of “tacit” and its relation to taciturn?
Tacit traces back to the Latin verb tacere, meaning to be silent, which is also the ancestor of the English adjective taciturn, used to describe someone who tends to be quiet. With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski. Visit Merriam-Webster.com today for definitions, wordplay, and trending word lookups.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the definition and pronunciation of the word “tacit”?
0:06–0:25
2
How is “tacit” used in modern media, like the Boston.com documentary example?
0:25–1:08
3
What literary example from Wuthering Heights illustrates tacit insults and non‑verbal communication?
1:08–1:45
4
How does the episode explain the origins of “tacit” and its relation to taciturn?
1:45–2:11