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This week's theme Words with no repeating letters This week's words quodlibet epistolary schwerpunkt gramineous overslaugh Today's word in Visual Thesaurus May I make a link? Yes. You don't need anyone's permission to make a link to a site. Linking is what makes the Web work... more Discuss Feedback RSS/XML A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg quodlibet PRONUNCIATION: (KWOD-li-bet) MEANING: noun: 1. A subtle argument, especially on a theological or philosophical issue. 2. A musical medley: a whimsical combination of popular tunes. ETYMOLOGY: From Latin quodlibetum, from Latin quod (what) + libet (it pleases), meaning "whatever pleases". Earlier the term referred to a mock exercise in discussion. Sense 2 arose from its use in German to refer to a gallimaufry of light-hearted musical compositions. USAGE: "Someone was sending me a signal. If words are unimportant, punctuation is something even more lowly. Why worry about such quodlibets? When was the last time anyone even noticed?" Charles R. Larson; Its Academic, Or Is It?; Newsweek (New York); Nov 6, 1995. "The swirling mist of sound [pianist Joanna MacGregor] made of the end of the penultimate quodlibet was almost shocking." Rian Evans; Joanna MacGregor: St George's, Bristol; The Guardian (London, UK); Feb 5, 2005. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Gold in its native state is but dull, unornamental stuff, and only lowborn metals excite the admiration of the ignorant with an ostentatious glitter. However, like the rest of the world, I still go on underrating men of gold and glorifying men of mica. -Mark Twain, author and humorist (1835-1910)

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