A.Word.A.Day --milquetoast

A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact

Home

Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

milquetoast

PRONUNCIATION:

(MILK-tohst)

MEANING:

noun: A timid, unassertive person.

ETYMOLOGY:

After Caspar Milquetoast, a comic strip character by H.T. Webster (1885-1952). A synonym of the word is milksop. Earliest documented use: 1932.

USAGE:

"Martin Oberman: This is a very tough place. You can't be a milquetoast."
Peter Slevin; Testing Rahm; The Washington Post; Sep 13, 2012.

See more usage examples of milquetoast in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Poetry should please by a fine excess and not by singularity. It should strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost as a remembrance. -John Keats, poet (1795-1821)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise