Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day: Jaunty

Date: December 18, 2025
Host: Peter Sokolowski

Episode Overview

This episode introduces and explores the word “jaunty,” providing its definition, usage, etymology, and contextual examples. The host, Peter Sokolowski, delves into how the word's meaning has evolved over time and how it relates to other words in the English language.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Definition & Usage (00:06 – 00:40)

• Jaunty is spelled J A U N T Y and is an adjective.
• The core meaning: "Something described as jaunty is lively in manner or appearance."
  • It can also describe something, such as an article of clothing, that "suggests a lively and confident quality."
• Example in literature:
  • "Here's the word used in a sentence from Are You Happy? by Laurie Ostland:
    'He stood at the front of the room and announced that we would begin with a quiz, which we all failed because the quiz was over material that we were supposed to have covered during the last class. When he handed the quizzes back to us after the break, he did so in a frenetic, almost jaunty way, running up and down the aisles and announcing our grades and 000 loudly before tossing the quizzes down in front of us.'"
    — [Peter Sokolowski, 00:30]

2. Notable Quote – Jaunty in Fashion (00:41)

• The host poses a playful question:
  • "Does throwing on a jaunty hat make one appear more genteel? Maybe..."
    — [Peter Sokolowski, 00:41]

3. Etymology: Connection to 'Genteel' (00:43 – 01:30)

• Both “jaunty” and “genteel” come from the French word gentille, meaning "of aristocratic birth."

  • Genteel was first borrowed to describe things associated with aristocratic people.
  • Jaunty entered English a few years later, in the mid-17th century, as a synonym of "stylish" and "genteel."
  • "Both jaunty and genteel come from the French word gentille, meaning 'of aristocratic birth.'"
    — [Peter Sokolowski, 00:45]

• Semantic Shift:

  • Over time, "genteel" has maintained its air of propriety and upper class.
  • "Jaunty," meanwhile, "has traipsed into less stuffy territory as a descriptor of tunes and hats and other things that suggest lively confidence."
    • "While genteel has maintained its associations of propriety and high social class, jaunty has traipsed into less stuffy territory..."
      — [Peter Sokolowski, 01:20]

4. Memorable Closing Line (01:40)

• The episode succinctly dresses up "jaunty" as a descriptor for anything suggesting "lively confidence," rounding out the exploration with:
  • "With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski."
    — [Peter Sokolowski, 01:50]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:06 — Introduction of today's word and spelling
• 00:15 — Definition and explanation
• 00:30 — Example sentence from Laurie Ostland
• 00:41 — Playful question about jaunty hats and being genteel
• 00:43 — Etymology and connection to "genteel"
• 01:20 — Evolution of the meanings of "genteel" and "jaunty"
• 01:50 — Closing statement

Notable Quotes

• "Something described as jaunty is lively in manner or appearance. Jaunty can also describe something such as an article of clothing that suggests a lively and confident quality."
  — Peter Sokolowski [00:10]

• "Does throwing on a jaunty hat make one appear more genteel? Maybe..."
  — Peter Sokolowski [00:41]

• "Both jaunty and genteel come from the French word gentille, meaning 'of aristocratic birth.' Genteel was borrowed first to describe things associated with aristocratic people. Jaunty joined the language just a few years later, ...as a synonym for genteel."
  — Peter Sokolowski [00:43–01:00]

• "While genteel has maintained its associations of propriety and high social class, jaunty has traipsed into less stuffy territory as a descriptor of tunes and hats and other things that suggest lively confidence."
  — Peter Sokolowski [01:20]

Tone and Delivery

Peter Sokolowski maintains a friendly, scholarly, and lightly playful tone throughout, peppering etymological facts with relatable and vivid examples.

This episode is a succinct yet rich exploration of the word “jaunty”—its definition, history, and contemporary flavor—making language learning lively and approachable.