Word of the Day - 03/17/26
rancor
/'ræŋkər/(n.): a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
The lingering rancor between the two former friends made any reconciliation impossible.
Word Origin
The word 'rancor' originates from the Latin word 'rancor', meaning "a putrid smell, rancidity," and figuratively "grudge, bitterness, ill will." This Latin term is related to 'rancere', meaning "to stink" or "to be rotten," and 'rancidus', meaning "rancid." The sense of a lingering, bitter resentment evolved from the idea of something being rotten or putrid, a foulness that persists.
Words related to rancor share the Latin root for rot or foulness. For example, rancid describes spoiled food, and rank can refer to a strong, unpleasant smell, both reflecting the original sense of decay that gave rise to the idea of bitter resentment.