A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

MEANING:

noun: One who mindlessly agrees with an idea or opinion.

ETYMOLOGY:

After callers on the talk radio program Rush Limbaugh Show who often unquestioningly agree with the radio host. The word began as a term to describe listeners to the show who would agree with the previous caller’s effusive praise of Limbaugh with the word “ditto”. From ditto (same, likewise), from Italian (Tuscan dialect ditto) detto (said, above-mentioned), from Latin dictus (said), from dicere (to say). Ultimately from the Indo-European root deik- (to show, to pronounce solemnly), which also gave us judge, verdict, vendetta, revenge, indicate, dictate, paradigm, diktat retrodiction . Earliest documented use: 1989.