{"word":"watershed","date":"2026-09-17","partOfSpeech":"noun","pronunciation":"WAW-ter-shed","definition":"a crucial dividing point, line, or factor","example":"The protests marked a watershed in the nation’s history.","etymology":"The word watershed originated from German Wasserscheide, literally water divider, referring to a ridge of land separating two drainage areas, and entered English in the 1800s. Its figurative extension to a crucial dividing point emerged in the late 19th century.","source":"merriam-webster","sourceUrl":"https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/watershed-2026-09-17","fetchedAt":"2026-09-17T10:15:52.455Z","cached":false}