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WORD OF THE DAY

January 3, 2024

diligent

adjective | DIL-uh-junt

What It Means

Someone or something described as diligent is characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort.
// After many hours of diligent research, the students were ready to compile their results.
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Examples of DILIGENT

â€œScott had a reputation for being diligent and hardworking, maybe a tad arrogant, but not the type to make rousing speeches in the locker room at halftime.â€ â€” Robert Samuels, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2023

Did You Know?

Youâ€™re more likely to be diligent about something if you love doing it. The etymology of diligent reflects the fact that devotion can lead to energetic effort. The word, which entered English in the 14th century by way of Anglo-French, comes from the Latin verb diligere, meaning â€œto value or esteem highlyâ€ or â€œto love.â€ Diligere was formed by combining the di- prefix (from dis-, meaning â€œapartâ€) with the verb legere, meaning â€œto gather, selectâ€ or â€œto read.â€ Legere has itself proved to be a diligent contributor to English; its offspring include collect, lecture, legend, intelligent, and legume.

Name That Synonym

Fill in the blanks to reveal a synonym of diligent that means â€œconstantly, regularly, or habitually active or occupiedâ€: i _ _ u s _ r _ o _ s

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