The Dictionary Project

Today's Word of the Day: Laurel

In ancient times, the laurel was a symbol of victory. In Greece, the plant was associated with the god Apollo, and laurel wreaths were given out to Olympic victors. Later, in Rome, laurel wreaths became symbols of victory in battle, worn by generals and emperors alike.

Laurels are also used as symbols of academic achievement, carried by graduating students in Italy, and a few American colleges: this is the source of the word "laureate."

The most common use of the word today is within the idiom "resting on your laurels." To rest on your laurels is to become complacent, so content with past successes that you do not seek new challenges.

Today's Word of the Day: Potent

New York's Lafayette Optimists , Pompey Lions Club, and NY Rotary Club have joined forces to bring local third-graders a potent tool: personal dictionaries.

These three organizations are committed to giving children the resources they need to become confident readers. Their partnership doesn't end there: the same organizations return when students are in fifth grade to deliver atlases.

These two books, given years apart, are gifts of knowledge meant to last a lifetime.