Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Word of the Day
12/05/2026
I woke to find the morning
set catercorner to my plans,
the sunlight came in sideways,
tipping over cups and spans.
My thoughts slid off their perches,
my socks refused to pair,
and even prayer felt angled
like a pew not quite square.
The world was not unruly,
just gently out of line,
a diagonal invitation
to step beyond the spine.
So I walked the day catercorner,
not straight, nor left, nor right —
but on the bias, where surprises
lean diagonally into sight.
May 12
May 12, 2026 at 12:17 AM UTC
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Word of the Day
12/05/2026
I woke to find the morning
set catercorner to my plans,
the sunlight came in sideways,
tipping over cups and spans.
My thoughts slid off their perches,
my socks refused to pair,
and even prayer felt angled
like a pew not quite square.
The world was not unruly,
just gently out of line,
a diagonal invitation
to step beyond the spine.
So I walked the day catercorner,
not straight, nor left, nor right —
but on the bias, where surprises
lean diagonally into sight.
What It Means
Catercorner is used to describe two things that are located across from each other on opposite corners. It is a less common variant of kitty-corner.
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