abrupt

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 19, 2021 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>abrupt</strong> &#149; \uh-BRUPT\&nbsp; &#149; <em>adjective</em><br /> <p><strong>1 a :</strong> characterized by or involving action or change without preparation or warning <strong>:</strong> sudden and unexpected</p> <p><strong>b :</strong> rudely or unceremoniously curt</p> <p><strong>c :</strong> lacking smoothness or continuity</p> <p><strong>2 :</strong> giving the impression of being cut or broken off; <em>especially</em> <strong>:</strong> involving a sudden steep rise or drop</p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>We were all stunned when Dennis made the <em>abrupt</em> decision to quit his job and move to Italy.</p> <p>"Federally subsidized visual art (along with plays, art centers, and concerts) flourished until 1941 when the U.S. entered World War II. The ending was <em>abrupt</em>, with projects shut down overnight." — <a href="https://www.orartswatch.org/remembering-forgotten-stories-of-the-great-depression/">David Bates, <em>Oregon ArtsWatch</em>, 11 Mar. 2021</a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p>We'll break it to you gently: <em>abrupt</em> derives from <em>abruptus</em>, the past participle of the Latin verb <em>abrumpere</em>, meaning "to break off." <em>Abrumpere</em> combines the prefix <em>ab-</em> with <em>rumpere</em>, which means "to break" and which forms the basis for several other words in English that suggest a kind of breaking, such as <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interrupt">interrupt</a></em>, <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rupture">rupture</a></em>, and <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bankrupt">bankrupt</a></em>. Whether being used to describe a style of speaking that seems rudely short (as in "gave an abrupt answer"), something with a severe rise or