bodacious

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 21, 2025 is: bodacious \boh-DAY-shuss\ adjective Bodacious is used as an informal synonym of [remarkable](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remarkable) and [noteworthy](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/noteworthy), as well as [sexy](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sexy) and [voluptuous](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/voluptuous). In some dialects of the Southern and Midland US, bodacious is used by its oldest meaning: "[outright](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outright), [unmistakable](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unmistakable)." // The bodacious decor of the boutique hotel is intended to appeal to the young and the hip. [See the entry >](http://merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bodacious) Examples: "There’s no need to lug in a 6-foot specimen tree to add bodacious botanicals into your home, because even the smallest planters can make a big impact when intentionally pairing striking foliage with a unique vessel." — Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 Did you know? Some of our readers may know bodacious as a word that figured prominently in the lingo of the 1989 film Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Others may recall the term's frequent use in the long-running "Snuffy Smith" comic strip. Neither the creators of the comic strip nor the movie can claim to have coined bodacious, which began appearing in print in the mid-1800s, but both surely contributed to its popularity. The exact origin of the word is uncertain, but it is most likely a blend of [bold](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bold) and [audacious](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/audacious), and it may be linked to [boldacious](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boldacious), a now-rare British dialect term meaning "brazen" or "impudent."