It's the word of the day for February 24th.
Today's word is umpteen, spelled U-M-P-T-E-E-N.
Upteen is an adjective.
It's an informal word, meaning very many or indefinitely numerous.
Here's the word used in a sentence from the economist.
the life of a showgirl often includes umpteen costume changes,
elaborate props, and copious amounts of hairspray.
There may not be a gazillion ways in English to refer to a large indefinite number,
but there are definitely more than a soupçon.
Many of these, such as zillion, bazillion, gazillion, jillion, and bajillion,
start with I-L-L-I-O-N as in million,
and add a satisfying consonant or syllable in front for some extra oomph.
The adjective umpteen does the same for teen, with the oomph provided by the ump in umpti.
Umpti, an adjective meaning such and such as an umpti percent or umpti four,
arose like umpteen in the latter half of the 1800s.
We only occasionally use umpteen these days, but you're bound to hear or read umpteen and umpteenth,
meaning the latest or last in an indefinitely numerous series any number of times.
With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.