September 6, 2011 - Word of the Day: whoops

The word "whoops" is an interjection. It's similar to "wow," "hey," and "no." (An interjection is almost always just one word.) Interjections can be used alone or as part of a sentence, but they stand out from the other parts of speech because a person chooses an interjection based entirely on the situation her or she might be in.

• "Whoops! I made a mistake.
• She didn't give you a book? Whoops.
• Whoops! I meant to say "he," not "she."
• "Whoops! Be careful.

You'll also hear some people say "whoopsy" or "whoopsy daisy," especially when talking with children.

• Whoopsy! You fell down. Are you okay?
• Whoopsy daisy! She bumped her head on the table.

Word of the Day for September 5, 2011: labor

Word of the Day: August 2011

Word of the Day: July 2011