Among the thousands of free apps that are helpful, I have used one that is consistently useful and easy to use.

The Dictionary app from dictionary.com is useful for obvious reasons: it shows you what words mean and how to spell them.

I’m mostly impressed with dictionary.com for its efforts toward making this simple app even more entertaining, like featuring the “word of the day.”

The “word of the day” message that pops up on my screen every morning around 8 a.m. is a friendly reminder about how many words I don’t know — and that I’m also late for work.

A wise man once told me those who broaden their vocabulary will see a bigger and more interesting world around them.

Through the dictionary app, your world can become bigger, more interesting and you can look like a snooty know-it-all by throwing out words like periphrasis.

Example: “This review is a mundane, jaded prating periphrasis with a ridiculous yeasty example.”

Overall, the dictionary app is one of my favorites for two reasons: one, I love learning new words and using them correctly, and two, I’m a nerd.

To contact Bryce McElhaney, email editor@occc.edu