It's the word of the day for May 11th.
Smokey the Bear.
Smokey.
Then you know why Smokey tells you when he sees you passing through.
Remember, please be careful, it's the least that you can do.
After 80 years of learning his wildfire prevention tips, Smokey Bear lives within us all.
Learn more at SmokeyBear. com.
And remember, only you can prevent wildfires.
Brought to you by the USDA Forest Service, your state forester, and the Ad Council.
Today's word is paragon, spelled P-A-R-A-G-O-N.
Paragon is a noun.
It 's a formal word that refers to a person or thing that is perfect or excellent in some way
and should be considered a model or example to be copied.
Here's the word used in a sentence from the Gazette of Cedar Rapids.
With a bar staff locally renowned for its cocktails, curated French cuisine, an extensive champagne menu,
and immaculately stylish atmosphere, Claude is the local paragon of elegance.
A touchstone is a black stone that was formerly used to judge the purity of gold or silver.
Paragon comes from the old Italian word paragone, which literally means touchstone.
The metal was rubbed on the stone, and the color of the streak it left indicated its quality.
In modern English, both touchstone and paragon have come to signify a standard against which something should be judged.