Merriem-Webster's Word of the Day: whammy

I learned a new word yesterday: whammy. A whammy is a supernatural power bringing bad luck, a magic curse spell, jinx, or hex, or a potent force or attack; specifically : a paralyzing or lethal blow. Although it is unclear where the word came from, it is assumed the word is a combination of wham and whimsical - "y". The word was popularized in the 1950s by the strip "Li'l Abner."

I learned all this from the Merriam Webster's Word of the Day podcast. Thumbs up to expanding your vocabulary. The podcasts are only about two minutes long. I've had a few eposodes on my computer for a while now, but this was the first time I tried listening to one. I really liked it. The podcast is lots of fun for word lovers.