Word of the day: Ultroneous

Ultroneous

[əl-TROH-nee-əs]

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 17th century

Spontaneous; voluntary.

Examples of ultroneous in a sentence

"Our host made an ultroneous offer at the end of the afternoon to make us all supper."

"If I win the lottery, I will take ultroneous vacations whenever the mood strikes me."

About Ultroneous

Taken directly from Latin, based on the Latin “ultrō,” meaning “on one’s part.”

Did you Know?

Ultroneous combustion of certain materials is not only possible, but also quite dangerous. In order for a material to catch fire of its own accord, first it must have a low ignition point (straw and hay fit the bill). Second, there must be a heat source — which can occur, for example, if sugar in the material begins to ferment. If that heat can’t escape, eventually the material can reach its ignition point and combust ultroneously (spontaneously). This is a concern for compost piles, where ultroneous combustion happens due to fermentation, but also with certain kinds of oil seeds, which can dramatically heat up in the presence of moisture.