Word of the Day - 10/19/25
sedulous
/'sɛdʒələs/(adj.): marked by care and persistent effort
Her sedulous attention to detail ensured the project's success.
Word Origin
The word 'sedulous' originates from the Latin word 'sēdulus', meaning "diligent," "assiduous," or "busy." The Latin 'sēdulus' is often understood as being derived from 'sēdēre', meaning "to sit," combined with the adjectival suffix '-ulus'. This etymology suggests the idea of someone who 'sits persistently' at a task, hence being industrious or diligent.
Words with a similar origin, stemming from the Latin root 'sēdēre' (to sit), include 'sedentary' (meaning characterized by much sitting or remaining in one place), 'session' (a period of sitting for a specific activity), 'preside' (to occupy the place of authority, to sit before), 'reside' (to dwell or live permanently in a place, implying 'to sit back' or 'settle'), and 'subside' (to sink to a lower level or become less intense, implying 'to sit under' or 'settle down').
As a reminder, here are all of the words from this week:
jactation syzygy compunction
sedulous
See if you can remember all of this week's words! Here is a sentence that includes all seven, followed by a version that simplifies them to help you remember:
As the long-anticipated syzygy lit the night sky above the royal observatory, the kingdom’s ambitious invention unveiling began to founder, its elite cadre of scholars and flamboyant coterie of alchemists too lost in theatrical jactation to notice the steam engine exploding—while only a sedulous apprentice, frantically patching valves, tried to save the day.As the long-anticipated planetary alignment lit the night sky above the royal observatory, the kingdom’s ambitious invention unveiling began to fall apart, its elite group of scholars and flamboyant collection of alchemists too lost in theatrical boasting to notice the steam engine exploding—while only a diligent apprentice, frantically patching valves, tried to save the day.