aerie

Summary

Episode Overview

Podcast: Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
Episode: “aerie” (July 26, 2026)
Host: Peter Sokolowski

This episode explores the word “aerie,” focusing on its definitions, etymology, and usage in literature and modern language. Peter Sokolowski not only shares the origins and evolution of the word but also provides memorable examples and cultural context.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Definition and Pronunciation (00:42)

• “Today's word is aerie, also pronounced arry or airy. Aerie is a noun spelled A E R I E.”
• Primary Meaning:
  • “It refers to the nest of a bird, such as an eagle or hawk, built high up on a cliff or on the top of a mountain.”
• Secondary (Figurative) Meaning:
  • “It can also be used for a room or building built high up so that people inside can see things happening below them.”

Example Sentence from Contemporary Usage (00:59)

• Usage Example:
  • “Here’s the word used in a sentence from Seven Days of Burlington:
    ‘Their eaglet is expected to hatch around April 21st. In the meantime, audience members tuning in will likely see at least one eagle at the nest. To keep up with home improvements, the majestic birds often arrive home bearing sticks and grass to add to their aerie.’” (00:59)

Literary Reference and Historical Usage (01:28)

• John Milton’s Paradise Lost:
  • “English poet John Milton put a variant of the word aerie to good use in Paradise Lost from 1667, writing there,
    ‘the eagle and the stork on cliffs and cedar tops. Their aries build’ with aerie spelled E Y R I E S.” (01:42)
• Etymology:
  • “But Milton wasn’t the first to use the term, which comes to us via Medieval Latin and Old French and probably traces to an earlier Latin word, aeger, meaning field.” (01:51)
• Early Adoption in English:
  • “English speakers had been employing aerie as a word for a bird’s nest for more than a century when he penned those words.” (01:59)

Expansion to Human Dwellings (02:05)

• “Eventually, aerie was applied to human dwellings as well as birds nests.”
• First Meaning:
  • “At first, this sense referred to dwellings nestled high up in mountains or hills.”
• Modern Usage:
  • “These days, you’re also likely to hear high rise apartments or offices referred to as aries.” (02:19)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Peter Sokolowski on Definition:

  • “Aerie is a noun spelled A E R I E. It refers to the nest of a bird, such as an eagle or hawk, built high up on a cliff or on the top of a mountain.” (00:43)

• Literary Reference:

  • “English poet John Milton put a variant of the word aerie to good use in Paradise Lost from 1667, writing there, ‘the eagle and the stork on cliffs and cedar tops. Their aries build with aerie spelled E Y R I E S.’” (01:42)

• On Evolution of Meaning:

  • “Eventually, aerie was applied to human dwellings as well as birds nests. At first, this sense referred to dwellings nestled high up in mountains or hills. These days, you’re also likely to hear high rise apartments or offices referred to as aries.” (02:06-02:19)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Word Introduction & Pronunciation: 00:42
• Primary & Secondary Meanings: 00:44–00:54
• Contemporary Usage Example: 00:59
• John Milton & Literary Usage: 01:28–01:47
• Etymology: 01:51
• First English Usage: 01:59
• Figurative & Modern Meanings: 02:05–02:19

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Summary

In this episode, Peter Sokolowski presents "aerie"—a word rich with natural, literary, and architectural associations. Listeners learn how the term describes both literal bird nests perched in dramatic, elevated places and, by extension, lofty human dwellings. With references from both a contemporary news piece and Milton's Paradise Lost, the episode illustrates the word’s versatility and longstanding history in English. The etymological journey from medieval Latin to modern English is succinctly traced, showing how language evolves alongside the societies that use it.

Transcript

[Announcer]

Foreign.

[Peter Sokolowski]

It's Merriam Webster's Word of the Day for July 26th.

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[Peter Sokolowski]

Today's word is airy, also pronounced arry or airy. Airy is a noun spelled A E R I e. It refers to the nest of a bird, such as an eagle or hawk, built high up on a cliff or on the top of a mountain. It can also be used for a room or building built high up so that people inside can see things happening below them. Here's the word used in a sentence from Seven Days of Burlington Their eaglet is expected to hatch around April 21st. In the meantime, audience members tuning in will likely see at least one eagle at the nest. To keep up with home improvements, the majestic birds often arrive home bearing sticks and grass to add to their aerie. English poet John Milton put a variant of the word airy to good use in paradise lost from 1667, writing there, the eagle and the stork on cliffs and cedar tops. Their aries build with airy spelled E Y R I E s. But Milton wasn't the first to use the term, which comes to us via Medieval Latin and Old French and probably traces to an earlier Latin word, aegir, meaning field. English speakers had been employing airy as a word for a bird's nest for more than a century when he penned those words. Eventually, aerie was applied to human dwellings as well as birds nests. At first, this sense referred to dwellings nestled high up in mountains or hills. These days, you're also likely to hear high rise apartments or offices referred to as aries with your word of the day. I'm Peter Sokolowski.

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