Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 5, 2024 is: psephology \see-FAH-luh-jee\ noun Psephology is the scientific study of elections. // Brianna was excited to learn that a course on psephology on the schedule for next semester will coincide with local and state elections. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psephology) Examples: "The high school-aged participants of the program partake in various aspects of psephology, from gaining support early in a campaign to debating fellow candidates." — James Barberis, The Tallahassee (Florida) Democrat, 28 Sept. 2020 Did you know? Psephology comes from the Greek word "psēphos," meaning "pebble." (One relative of psephology is [psephomancy](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psephomancy), meaning "divination by pebbles.") Psephology merited election as the name for the work of election analysts, or psephologists, because pebbles were used by the ancient Greeks in voting. Similarly, the word [ballot](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballot) was an excellent choice for a means of voting since it comes from ballotta, an Italian word meaning "little ball," and Italians once voted by placing such balls in a container.