fenny | Word of the Day | March 4, 2025

[ fen-ee ] [ ˈfɛn i ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

More about fenny

• From Old English (450–1150) fennig.
• Combines fen¹, meaning “a boggy land or marsh,” + -y².
• Related to the rare regional word vinew, meaning “mold or moldiness.”

EXAMPLES OF FENNY

• Her footsteps left dark imprints in the fenny soil, each one filling with water.
• The horse hesitated before stepping onto the fenny path, sensing the unstable ground beneath its hooves.

[ dih-kokt ] [ dɪˈkɒkt ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

verb

to extract the flavor or essence of something by boiling

More about decoct

• First recorded between 1375–1425.
• From Latin dēcoctus, meaning “boiled down.”

EXAMPLES OF DECOCT

• The chef knew how to decoct flavors from natural ingredients to create concentrated versions.
• Decocting herbs and vegetables for too long may strip away their nutrients and produce unsavory compounds.

[ shee-shee ] [ ˈʃiˌʃi ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

elegant, trendy, or pretentious

More about chichi

• First recorded in 1905–10.
• From French chichi; possibly related to the French word chiche, meaning “a small thing or trifle.”

EXAMPLES OF CHICHI

• A silk scarf is sometimes chichi but undeniably elegant.
• The CEO bought a designer townhouse in a chichi neighborhood.