Word of the Day

: December 20, 2008

undulant

adjective UN-juh-lunt

What It Means

1 : rising and falling in waves

2 : having a wavy form, outline, or surface

undulant in Context

The undulant foothills gradually give way to the craggy highlands for which Scotland is celebrated.

Did You Know?

"Unda," Latin for "wave," ripples through the history of words such as "abound," "inundate," "redound," "surround," and, of course, "undulant," which first showed up in print in English around 1822. (The adjective "undulate," a synonym of "undulant," is almost 200 years older but rarely used today. The far more common verb "undulate" has several meanings including "to form or move in waves.") The meaning of "undulant" is broad enough to describe both a dancer’s hips and a disease marked by a fever that continually waxes and wanes.