Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 23, 2013 is:

amalgamate • \uh-MAL-guh-mayt\  • verb
: to unite in or as if in a mixture of elements; especially : to merge into a single body

Examples:
On her latest album, the artist has amalgamated several different styles of music.

"Sure enough, in 1999, Congress dutifully went along with Weill's push for repeal, and Wall Street promptly rushed to amalgamate more Citigroups, thus creating the 'too-big-to-fail' system that—only eight years later—did indeed fail." — From an article by Jim Hightower in the Illinois Times (Springfield, Illinois), August 9, 2012

Did you know?
On her latest album, the artist has amalgamated several different styles of music. "Sure enough, in 1999, Congress dutifully went along with Weill's push for repeal, and Wall Street promptly rushed to amalgamate more Citigroups, thus creating the 'too-big-to-fail' system that—only eight years later—did indeed fail." — From an article by Jim Hightower in the Illinois Times (Springfield, Illinois), August 9, 2012

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 22, 2013 is:

canker • \KANK-er\  • verb
1 : to become infested with erosive or spreading sores 2 : to corrupt the spirit of 3 : to become corrupted

Examples:
"I have never seen any children, only debased imitations of men and women, cankeredA Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains, 2005

"If you have dead or cankered branches on your trees, disinfect pruning tools between cuts to prevent chances of spreading fire blight bacteria from infected trees." — From an article in the Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), March 13, 2013

Did you know?
"Canker" is commonly known as the name for a type of spreading sore that eats into the tissue—a use that obviously furnished the verb with both its medical and figurative senses. The word ultimately traces back to Latin "cancer," which can refer to a crab or a malignant tumor. The Greeks have a similar word, "karkinos," and according to the Ancient Greek physician Galen the tumor got its name from the way the swollen veins surrounding the affected part resembled a crab's limbs. "Cancer" was adopted into Old English, becoming "canker" in Middle English and eventually shifting in meaning to become a general term for ulcerations. "Cancer" itself was reintroduced to English later, first as a zodiacal word and then as a medical term.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 21, 2013 is:

filial • \FIL-ee-ul\  • adjective
1 : of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter 2 : having or assuming the relation of a child or offspring

Examples:
Margaret's sense of filial responsibility is only part of her motivation for carrying on her parents' business; she also loves the work.

"Confucianism, which emphasizes filial piety, has been the bedrock of Korean society for hundreds of years and, historically, older citizens would rely on their children to take care of them." — From an article by Audrey Yoo in Time, March 25, 2013

Did you know?
"Filial" is descended from Latin "filius," meaning "son," and "filia," meaning "daughter," and in English (where it has been used since at least the 14th century) it has always applied to both sexes. The word has long carried the dutiful sense "owed to a parent by a child," as found in such phrases as "filial respect" and "filial piety." These days it can also be used more generally for any emotion or behavior of a child to a parent. You might suspect that "filia" is also the source of the word "filly," meaning "a young female horse" or "a young girl," but it isn't. Rather, "filly" is from Old Norse "fylja."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 20, 2013 is:

muliebrity • \myoo-lee-EB-ruh-tee\  • noun
: femininity

Examples:
"She was one of those women who are wanting in—what is the word?—muliebrity." — From H. G. Wells' 1911 novel New Machiavelli

"She is a motherly figure, but altogether unlike his mother, motherly in a way that allows too for muliebrity." — From Michael Griffith's 2012 book Bibliophilia: A Novella and Stories

Did you know?
"Muliebrity" has been used in English to suggest the distinguishing character or qualities of a woman or of womankind since the 16th century. (Its masculine counterpart, "virility," entered the language at about the same time.) "Muliebrity" comes from Latin "mulier," meaning "woman," and probably is a cognate of Latin "mollis," meaning "soft." "Mollis" is also the source of the English verb "mollify"—a word that implies a "softening" of hurt feelings or anger.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 19, 2013 is:

atone • \uh-TOHN\  • verb
1 : to supply satisfaction for 2 : to make amends

Examples:
Jamie tried to atone for his teasing of his sister by offering her some of his candy.

"For all the redemption songs in recent weeks, Bank of America Corp. still hasn't fully atoned for its mortgage mishaps." — From an article by Adam O'Daniel in Charlotte Business Journal, March 1, 2013

Did you know?
"Atone" comes to us from the combination in Middle English of "at" and "on," the latter of which is an old variant of "one." Together they meant "in harmony." (In current English, we use "at one" with a similar suggestion of harmony in such phrases as "at one with nature.") When it first entered English, "atone" meant "to reconcile" and suggested the restoration of a peaceful and harmonious state between people or groups. These days the verb specifically implies addressing the damage (or disharmony) caused by one's own behavior.