fulcrum

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 6, 2023 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>fulcrum</strong> &#149; \FULL-krum\&nbsp; &#149; <em>noun</em><br /> <p>In technical use, <em>fulcrum</em> refers to the support on which a lever moves when it is used to lift something. In figurative use, <em>fulcrum</em> refers to a person or thing that makes it possible for something to function or develop, or in other words, one who plays an essential role in something.</p> <p>// Although the lead actor was phenomenal, critics believe that the supporting cast was the real <em>fulcrum</em> of the show.</p> <p><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fulcrum">See the entry ></a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"For now, [Super Nintendo World] is entirely focused on Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom. ... According to [Shinya] Takahashi, while other properties have been considered ... it just made the most sense to start with Mario. 'When you think of Nintendo you think Mario,' he says. 'He's the <em>fulcrum</em> around which everything revolves.'" — Andrew Webster, <em>TheVerge.com</em>, 22 Feb. 2023</p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p><em>Fulcrum</em>, which means "bedpost" in Latin, comes from the verb <em>fulcire</em>, which means "to prop." When the word <em>fulcrum</em> was first used in the 17th century, it referred to the point on which a lever or similar device (such as the oar of a boat) is supported. The literal use easily supported figurative use, and it didn't take long for the word to develop a meaning referring to one deemed essential to the function or development of something. Despite <em>fulcrum</em>'s multiple senses, the word's meanings have kept a steady theme. In zoology, <em>fulcrum</em> refers to a part of an animal that serves as a hinge or support, such as the joint supporting a bird's wing.</p> <br /><br /> </p> </font>