Word of the Day, August 1: 'Sultry'

Word of the Day: SULTRY
Pronunciation: UK /ˈsʌl.tri/ or US /ˈsʌl.tri/

Meaning:
'Sultry' means hot and humid, especially referring to weather that feels heavy and uncomfortable.

Examples for daily usage:

• The sultry afternoon kept everyone indoors.
• Her sultry voice made the performance unforgettable.

Origin and history:

The word 'sultry' comes from the obsolete 16th-century English verb 'sulter', which is an alteration of the word 'swelter' (meaning to suffer or sweat from intense heat).

Originally, the word referred strictly to oppressive, hot, and humid weather. Over time, this concept of "hot" or "burning" air evolved metaphorically to also describe expressions, voices, and atmospheres that convey intense romantic passion or sensuality.

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Cultural significance and modern usage:

Sultry can describe more than just the weather. A sultry day feels intensely hot and humid, while a sultry glance, voice, or expression suggests passion, charm, or sensuality. The word dates back to the late 16th century and evolved from the now-obsolete sulter, which itself developed from swelter. Since the 14th century, 'swelter' has meant to suffer or sweat because of extreme heat. On a sultry day, people often think of the word "muggy", which comes from an old English dialect word, "mug", meaning "drizzle". While 'swelter' and 'muggy' are used mainly to describe oppressive weather, 'sultry' has a broader meaning, referring both to literal heat and to an irresistibly attractive or seductive quality, such as a sultry voice or captivating gaze.

Interesting facts:

• Easy to confuse with "sweltering": While sweltering refers only to extreme heat, sultry can describe both weather and an attractive, passionate quality, giving it a much broader range of use.

Examples from literature:

1. Despite the sunset, the evening seemed heavy with cloud, and among the trees it was sultry and gray.- Watership Down: A Novel by Richard Adams
2. Even so, one sultry afternoon when the curtains hung perfectly still, she volunteered to take Toscanini for a walk.- In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord
3. And in effect, the sultry darkness into which the students now followed him was visible and crimson, like the darkness of closed eyes on a summer’s afternoon. - Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
4. When she came back to the porch, she said, “We were going to just have a cold piece ’cause it’s so sultry, but now I think I’ll cook.”- Sounder by William H. Armstrong

Synonyms:

• Humid
• Damp
• Sticky
• Moist
• Muggy
• Tropical

Antonyms:

• Dry
• Cool
• Fresh
• Refreshing
• Crisp
• Bracing

Read more word of the day here.