It's Merriam-Webster's word of the day for August 11th.

Today's word is Vitiate, spelled VIT A T E. Vitiate is a verb to

Vitiate something is to ruin it or render it ineffective. Here's the word used in

a sentence from the New Yorker by Richard Brody.

Lily Gladstone does more with thought in killers of the Flower Moon than most actors ever achieve with flagrant and spectacular action.

Her presence fills the screen with what used to be understood as star power, before the mainly

technical prowess of conservatory-trained actors became a mark of Hollywood dignity.

The role she plays is one of tragic complexity.

Blatent theatrics would have vitiated its grandeur. If you're itching to find fault with the word

vitiate you don't have to look far. The word comes ultimately from the Latin

noun Vitium which refers to a fault vice-shortcoming or impediment to success or perfection.

Accordingly, vitiate like its fellow Vitium descended V-words, vituperate, meaning to use harsh condemning language, vicious and vice, has a negative bent.

To vitiate something is essentially to mar or damage it in some way, whether by ruining or spoiling it, as in a joke

vitiated by poor timing, corrupting it morally, as in a mind vitiated by prejudice, or rendering it null and ineffective, as in fraud that

vitiates a contract.

Despite its versatility, vitiate is most often effective when used in formal speech and writing.

That is to say, those who drop it into a construction like a sandwich vitiated by too much peanut

butter may find themselves subject to some mild vituperation.

With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sakalowski. Visit Marion Webster

Webster.com today for definitions, word play, and trending word lookups.