Word of the day: Vulning

The pelican (perhaps here another bird) piercing its breast to feed its young from the blood appears as a motif symbolizing the sacrifice of Christ. This activity is also known as vulning, from the Latin word for wound.

We look forward to trying to slip this word into casual conversation all day.

The self-sacrificial aspect of the pelican was reinforced by the widely read medieval bestiaries. The device of "a pelican in her piety" or "a pelican vulning (from Latin vulno, "to wound") herself" was used in heraldry.