The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for September 13, 2025, is "consummate," pronounced KAHN-suh-mut. It's an adjective meaning highly skilled or accomplished. "Consummate" can also mean "of the highest degree" or "complete in every detail." The word always precedes the noun it modifies. Its etymology traces back to the Latin "consummare," meaning "to sum up, finish." Originally, it described something brought to completion. Shakespeare used it in this sense. By the 16th century, it gained the meaning of "complete in every detail." Today, it commonly describes exceptional skill or excellence. It can also describe something simply extreme.