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The Word of the Day for January 14 is:

cacophony   \ka-KAH-fuh-nee\   (noun)
     : harsh or discordant sound : dissonance;
specifically : harshness in the sound of words or phrases

Example sentence:
     A cacophony of angry voices filled the room as the
discussion between city council members heated up.

Did you know?
     Whether they refer to the sound of music or the sound of
nails on a chalkboard, words that descend from the Greek word
"phone" are making a lot of noise in English. Why? Because
"phone" means "sound" or "voice." "Cacophony" comes from a
joining of the Greek prefix "kak-" ("bad") with "phone," and it
essentially means "bad sound." "Symphony," a word that indicates
harmony or agreement in sound, traces to "phone" and the Greek
prefix "syn-" ("together"). "Polyphony" refers to a style of
musical composition in which two or more independent melodies
are juxtaposed in harmony, and it comes from a combination of
"phone" and the Greek prefix "poly-" ("many"). Keep your ears
open and you're sure to hear other descendants of "phone" in
English.

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