Merriam-Webster Word of the Day - Scarify

scarify    verb | SKAIR-uh-fye     Definition   1 : to make scratches or small cuts in (something, such as the skin)   2 : to lacerate the feelings of   3 : to break up, loosen, or roughen the surface of (something, such as a field or road)   4 : to cut or soften the wall of (a hard seed) to hasten germination   Scroll down for more about scarify      TRENDING NOW: white lie hoax unwitting Anglo-American SEE ALL      PEOPLE ARE READING   Let's Organize the History of 'Cabinet'     The Dictionary Just Got a Whole Lot Bigger     9 Words and Phrases from Card Games     'Exaggerate': An Accumulation of Meaning         WORD GAMES AND QUIZZES: WEEKLY CHALLENGE   Words from Animals Quiz   Sick of the news? Come look at pictures of baby animals.     PLAY NOW     Nailed this quiz? We have plenty more to try!  TAKE ME THERE         Did You Know?   You get two words for the price of one with scarify. The first scarify appeared in English in the 15th century with the meaning "to make scratches or cuts in" and later developed a figurative application of "cutting" someone emotionally. This word is ultimately derived from a Greek verb meaning "to scratch an outline." The second homograph turned up in the late 18th century and gained currency by the 20th century. This scarify was formed by combining scare with -ify, possibly as a combination of scare and terrify, and it predictably means "to scare or frighten."     Examples of SCARIFY   "Recent harvests on city-owned land have removed on average about 50 percent of the standing biomass, which is not low-impact forestry. It is done with large, commercial-scale logging equipment that reduces biodiversity and scarifies the forest soil." — Ralph Baker, The Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, Massachusetts), 18 July 2017   "Canna seeds need to be scarified by filing through the hard shells before they germinate." — Tony Tomeo, The Chico (California) Enterprise-Record, 5 Jan. 2018   Test Your Vocabulary   What 5-letter verb begins with "s" and can mean "to scrape (the feet) along a surface while walking" or "to scratch, gouge, or wear the surface of"?   VIEW THE ANSWER           MERCH     Merriam-Webster Swag!   Show off your smarts with M-W gear   CHECK OUT OUR SELECTION

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WORD OF THE DAY March 6, 2018