Summary2 min read

Podcast Summary: Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day

Episode Title: Accentuate
Date: July 19, 2026
Host: Peter Sokolowski (for the main content)
Podcast: Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day

Overview of the Episode

This episode features “accentuate” as the Word of the Day. Host Peter Sokolowski walks listeners through its pronunciation, spelling, meaning, origin, and use in context, peppered with a memorable literary example and a musical reference to help retain the word’s meaning.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Definition and Usage

Word: Accentuate
Spelling: A-C-C-E-N-T-U-A-T-E
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To make something more noticeable; to emphasize it.
Usage Example (01:02):
- Quoting Perdita Finn, Mothers of Magic:
  
  “My mother could make me anything I wanted to be. As a child, she transformed me into a swan, a mermaid, a white Persian cat dressed like an elegant Victorian lady with a pork pie hat and a ruffled bustle to accentuate my tail. She’d trained as a costume designer.”

Etymology

Origin (01:30):
- “Accentuate” comes directly from the Latin accentus (“accent”), which traces back further to cantus (“song”).
- The original English meaning (early 18th century): “to pronounce with greater stress or force,” which is closely related to today’s “to emphasize/make more noticeable.”
No significant change: Sokolowski notes the word’s meaning has remained remarkably consistent since it entered English usage.

Practical Memory Tips

Mnemonic Device (02:10):
- Host suggests remembering the word using the classic song “Accentuate the Positive” by Harold Darlin and Johnny Mercer.
- Artists like Dinah Washington, Sam Cooke, Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters popularized the song—making it a catchy and memorable connection.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

On definition and use (01:45):

“When you accentuate something, you put an accent or emphasis on it.”
(Peter Sokolowski)
On etymology (01:55):

“Its journey into the English language was very straightforward. It comes from the Latin accentus, meaning accent, which itself comes from cantus, meaning song.”
(Peter Sokolowski)
On memory hooks (02:12):

“One excellent way to remember not only how to pronounce accentuate, but also its etymological connection is the classic—and helpfully titled—‘Accentuate the Positive,’ by Harold Darlin and Johnny Mercer, which has been performed by such luminaries as Dinah Washington, Sam Cooke, and Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters.”
(Peter Sokolowski)

Segment Timestamps

[00:41] – Introduction of “accentuate,” with spelling and part of speech
[01:02] – Example sentence from Mothers of Magic
[01:30] – Etymology and historical usage
[01:55] – Evolution of meaning
[02:10] – Song reference and memory device
[02:26] – Episode closes with a reminder to visit merriam-webster.com

Tone and Language

The episode maintains a friendly, educational, and concise tone typical of Merriam-Webster’s daily word format.
The host uses clear explanations, accessible examples, and pop culture references to make learning engaging.

Summary Takeaway:
Listeners leave with a comprehensive understanding of “accentuate,” including its spelling, meaning, usage, and origins, plus a catchy mental link to a classic song. The episode models how to incorporate new vocabulary into daily conversation, “accentuating” both knowledge and memory.

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Transcript5 lines

[00:00]
A
Foreign.
[00:06]
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It's the word of the day for July 19th
[00:11]
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my name is Shannon Maldonado. I'm the founder of Yaoi, a gift shop from the lens of artists and handmade objects. I chose Shopify because when I was testing other platforms it was definitely one of the most user friendly. It was important to me to think about where we would be in the future. All of the tools for reading your sales, like planning inventory, they're just right there on your dashboard. For anyone starting a small business, the biggest thing I can tell you, it doesn't have to be perfect. Shopify can help you build upon it. Start your free trial on shopify.com Today's
[00:41]
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Word is accentuate, Spelled A C, C E N T U A T E. Accentuate is a verb. To accentuate something is to make it more noticeable. Here's the word used in a sentence from Mothers of Magic Summoning the wisdom of Our Ancestors by Perdita Finn My mother could make me anything I wanted to be. As a child, she transformed me into a swan, a mermaid, a white Persian cat dressed like an elegant Victorian lady with a pork pie hat and a ruffled bustle to accentuate my tail. She'd trained as a costume designer. When you accentuate something, you put an accent or emphasis on it. Stress not about the word's history. Its journey into the English language was very straightforward. It comes from the Latin accentus, meaning accent, which itself comes from cantus, meaning song. And since the early 18th century, its meanings haven't changed very much. The word was initially used as a synonym of the verb accent to mean to pronounce with greater stress or force, which is a small leap from today's meaning of to make something more noticeable or to emphasize. One excellent way to remember not only how to pronounce accentuate, but also its etymological connection to is the classic and helpfully titled Accentuate the Positive by Harold Darlin and Johnny Mercer, which has been performed by such luminaries as Dinah Washington, Sam Cooke and Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters. With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.
[02:27]
A
Visit merriam webster.com today for definitions, wordplay and trending. Word lookups.