Word of the Day

: July 8, 2007

cavil

verb KAV-il

What It Means

: to raise trivial and frivolous objection

cavil in Context

It may seem petty to cavil at minor flaws given the film's excellence as a whole, but the ending did seem to lack some credibility.

Did You Know?

"You must be joking!" That's just one of the things you might be tempted to exclaim if you found yourself quarreling with a caviler -- and you'd be right, etymologically speaking at least. "Cavil" derives from the Latin verb "cavillari," meaning "to jest" or "to raise silly objections," which in turn derives from the Latin noun "cavilla," meaning "raillery." In case you're wondering, "cavil" is not related to the adjective "cavalier" ("marked by or given to offhand and often disdainful dismissal of important matters"). "Cavalier," which is also a noun for a gentleman trained in arms and horsemanship, traces back via Middle French to the Late Latin "caballarius," meaning "horseman."