Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode of Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day focuses on the word "disheveled"—its definition, usage in literature, common contexts, and historical origins.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Definition and Pronunciation

• Disheveled (adjective):
  • Describes a person or thing that is not neat or tidy.
  • Spelling: D-I-S-H-E-V-E-L-E-D.

Usage in Context

• Literary Example (00:35):

  • Matthew Specter’s "The Golden Hour":
    • "Her oblong Scots Irish face may be too idiosyncratic for the screen anyway ... the straw blond hair worn in a low slung and slightly disheveled beehive."
  • This demonstrates the descriptive power of the word, conjuring an image of slightly messy, unkempt hair.

• Modern Application (00:55):

  • “These days, the adjective disheveled is used to describe almost anything or anyone marked by disorder or disarray.”

• Physical Examples (01:03):

  • “Rumpled clothes, for example, often contribute to a disheveled appearance, as in Colson Whitehead’s novel Crook Manifesto, when the comedian Roscoe Pope walks on stage disheveled in wrinkled green corduroy pants.”
  • Expands "disheveled" beyond just people to objects like "apartments, desks, bedsheets," or anything "not at their neatest and tidiest."

Most Common Usage

• Hair Focus (01:15):
  • “Hair, however, is the most common noun to which disheveled is applied, along with hairdo terms like bun and beard, a fact that makes etymological sense.”

Etymology (01:25)

• Origin of ‘Disheveled’:
  • From Middle English "disheveled," meaning "bareheaded or with disordered hair."
  • Rooted in Anglo-French "des chevles"—"des" (prefix equivalent to "dis") + "cheval" (hair).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Usage:
  • “These days, the adjective disheveled is used to describe almost anything or anyone marked by disorder or disarray.” —Peter Sokolowski (00:55)
• On Most Common Application:
  • “Hair, however, is the most common noun to which disheveled is applied, along with hairdo terms like bun and beard, a fact that makes etymological sense.” —Peter Sokolowski (01:15)
• On Etymology:
  • “Disheveled comes from the Middle English adjective disheveled, meaning ‘bareheaded or with disordered hair.’” —Peter Sokolowski (01:25)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [00:06] — Introduction of today’s word: "disheveled"
• [00:20] — Sentence example from Matthew Specter's "The Golden Hour"
• [00:55] — Broad application of "disheveled" to things and people
• [01:03] — Example from Colson Whitehead’s "Crook Manifesto"
• [01:15] — Common association of "disheveled" with hair
• [01:25] — Etymology and historical roots

Episode Conclusion

Peter Sokolowski, channeling the curated expertise of Merriam-Webster, delivers a crisp and insightful look at "disheveled," seamlessly connecting contemporary and literary usage with linguistic heritage. The episode serves as both a vocabulary booster and a brief dive into word history—with the engaging tone and accessible explanations fans expect from the series.