gridiron

The Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 5, 2024 is "gridiron," which refers to a football field. It can also be used to describe a grate for broiling food or a network of streets and avenues. An example of its use in a sentence is: "The book recounts the quarterback's most glorious moments on the gridiron." The word "gridiron" shares linguistic ties with "griddle," originating from the Middle English term "gredil," referring to a metal grate used for broiling food over an open fire. In the late 1800s, early football fields were marked in a grid, resembling cooking gridirons from a high vantage point. This led to the association of "gridiron" with football. The term is also used in the context of a new college football video game, College Football 25, which made its early-access debut on July 16, 2024. Fans, athletes, coaches, and athletic administrators eagerly awaited the game's release to get their first virtual reps on the gridiron. The game's debut was highly anticipated, as it marked a decade-long wait for a new college football video game.