operose

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 22, 2020 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>operose</strong> &#149; \AH-puh-rohss\&nbsp; &#149; <em>adjective</em><br /> <p><strong>:</strong> <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tedious">tedious</a>, <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wearisome">wearisome</a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"Reading this biography reminded me that Lawrence's prose, though old-fashioned and a bit <em>operose</em>, is full of beautiful things." — <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/secretive-arrogant-and-reckless-the-young-t-e-lawrence-began-life-as-he-meant-to-go-on">Matthew Walther, <em>The Spectator</em>, 11 Oct. 2014</a></p> <p>"After several <em>operose</em> months of the tear-out and build-up process, Brandon Stupka, the one who has been working on the remodel project…, has finally opened his doors for business…." — <em>The McPherson (Kansas) Sentinel</em>, 17 Apr. 2013</p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p><em>Operose</em> comes from the Latin <em>operōsus</em>, which has the meaning of "diligent," "painstaking" or "laborious." That word combines <em>opera</em>, meaning "activity," "effort," or "work," with <em>-ōsus</em>—the Latin equivalent of the English <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/-ose">-ose</a></em> and <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/-ous">-ous</a></em> suffixes, meaning "full of" or "abounding in." In its earliest uses, in the mid-16th century, the word was used to describe people who are industrious or painstaking in their efforts. About a century later, the word was being applied as it more commonly is today: as an adjective describing tasks and undertakings requiring much time and effort.</p> <br /><br /> </p> </font>