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Jun 8, 2026
This week’s themeThere’s a Word for It This week’s words 
If only the author had known today’s word, he could have saved a lot of ink on his book cover
Cover: Bobshop Previous week’s theme Book titles that became words Wordsmith Games
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu GargIf you’re trained as an engineer, as I am, you probably have a tendency to optimize things. Fewer steps, fewer leaks, fewer electrons slipping out through the cat door. For example, when my phone runs low on juice, I plug the charging cable into the phone first and only then into the outlet. Sure, you could do it the other way, but why waste a split-second of electrons on phantom power? This principle can be applied anywhere, even to words. Next time you chat with your grandfather’s grandfather, why not say “Hi, tresayle” instead of “Hi, great-great-grandfather”? Think how much faster your message would be transmitted, whether you talk on the phone or text him. Though something tells me your tresayle is not much of a texter. He likes a landline. Preferably one tethered to the wall, or perhaps an elegant candlestick telephone. However your tresayle likes to communicate, that’s his business. But think of the saving in wear and tear on your vocal cords or fingers. This week we’ll feature words that let you say with one word what otherwise takes many. Consider this week an exercise in linguistic data compression. They are words that make you say, “I didn’t know there was a word for it!” tresayle or tresaiel
PRONUNCIATION:
(tre-SAY-uhl, TRES-ayl)
MEANING:
noun: A grandfather’s grandfather: great-great-grandfather.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Old French trisaïeul, from tri- (three) + aïeul (grandfather),
from Latin avolus, diminutive of avus (grandfather). Earliest documented
use: 1491.
NOTES:
Great-great-grandfather vs. tresayle: 21 letters vs. 8. Why make
the old man climb 21 steps when 8 will do? For great-grandfather, go with besaiel or besaile. And for grandfather? Just use grandpa. OK, if you insist on following the pattern, there is aiel. USAGE:
“[Her] ancestry is traced back five generations to her tresayle, Andrew
Boston, born in Ayre, Scotland, about 1597.” John Ward Dean; Notices of Recent Publications from the Historical and Genealogical Register for July, 1877; New-England Historic, Genealogical Society; 1877. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
The true birthplace is that wherein for the first time one looks
intelligently upon oneself; my first homelands have been books, and to a
lesser degree schools. -Marguerite Yourcenar, novelist (8 Jun 1903-1987)
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