Every now and then, we check in with the editors at the online dictionary site for Merriam Webster to see what words are making their “most searched” list. In general, these words get more hits when an unfamiliar term hits the major media outlets and gains wide exposure. People who read the story or hear it on the news become curious about the word, and look up its definition. In the past few months, several words were of interest to the dictionary’s users:

champion (CHAM-pyuhn) noun or verb
A hockey player in the United States got more attention from his new tattoo than he really wanted when it was revealed that his skin bore the proud motto “Stanley Cup Champians.” Although the athlete has since altered the tattoo (and presumably fired his tattoo artist), this word was one of the most searched in September. Remember, knowing how to spell a word is just as important as knowing how to define it!

clemency (KLEH-mehn-see) noun
This word comes from the Latin root clemens (“mild”) and means “pardon” or “mercy.” When the news that a long-time death row inmate in the southern United States had been denied clemency – that is, his appeal for pardon had not succeeded – people both protested the death sentence and looked up the meaning of this word.

culture (KUHL-chur or KUHL-tyuhr) noun or verb
According to the editors, this word gets a lot of hits every time a new school year starts and students are confronted with titles of books and classes containing the word in one of its many definitions. Depending on the context, this word can be:

– a noun meaning “the customs, attitudes, and social rules of a society”
– a verb meaning “to cultivate or promote growth”
– a noun meaning “artistic and intellectual pursuits and creations”

Other definitions are specific to the scientific and medical field, or among sociologists. When you’re using a word, it’s important to know exactly which meaning you need so that you’re using the word correctly in context.

chutzpah (HUTZ-puh) noun
Note: The U in HUTZ rhymes with the word “book.”)
As an illustration of the reason proper pronunciation is just as important as the correct spelling and definition of a word, we present American presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann, who mispronounced this Yiddish word meaning “audacity, nerve” earlier this year. Take advantage of the audio links available on most online dictionaries or vocabulary software programs like Ultimate Vocabulary, and you won’t run the risk of embarrassing yourself on national television.