gossamer

[ gos-uh-mer ]

Part of Speech adjective

Origin + Etymology

Middle English; A combination of the words "goose" and "summer" which could refer to St. Martin's Summer (early November) when goose was commonly eaten

Synonyms

translucent
silky
flimsy
light
delicate

Antonyms

heavy
thick

Definition

of or like gossamer; extremely light, flimsy, or delicate

Example

A) The butterflies' wings are gossamer thin and fragile, which is why we ask that you do not touch them. B) The plot is gossamer thin, more of an excuse to visit exotic locales than tell an interesting story.

Usage Over Time

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Usage Over Time

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modicum

[ mod-i-kuhm ]

a moderate or small amount

micawber

[ mi-caw-ber ]

one who is poor but lives in optimistic expectation of better fortune

diphthong

[ dif-thawng ]

a sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves toward another (as in coin, loud, and side)

agitate

[ aj-i-teyt ]

to shake or move briskly

cognizable

[ kog-nuh-zuh-buhl ]

capable of being judicially heard and determined

inordinate

[ in-awr-dn-it ]

unusually or disproportionately large; excessive

inveigh

[ in-vey ]

to protest or complain bitterly or vehemently

prevaricate

[ pri-var-i-keyt ]

speak or act in an evasive way

dissertation

[ dis-er-tey-shuhn ]

a written essay, treatise, or thesis, especially one written by a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy