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Apr 28, 2010
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Back-formations

This week's words
cathect
sass
callithump
accrete
cerebrate

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A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

callithump

PRONUNCIATION:
(KAL-uh-thump)

MEANING:
noun:
1. A noisy, boisterous celebration or parade.
2. A mock serenade with pots, pans, kettles, etc., given for a newly married couple. Also known as charivari or shivaree.

ETYMOLOGY:
Back-formation from callithumpian, alteration of English dialect word gallithumpian (disturber of order at Parliamentary elections in 18th century).

USAGE:
"'Our clothes,' Bono said, 'got somewhat fusty in the rebels' little New Year's callithump."
M.T. Anderson; The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing; Candlewick Press; 2008.

See more usage examples of callithump in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Some problems in the world are not bullet-izable. -H.R. McMaster, Brigadier General, US Army, Iraq War veteran (b. 1962) [Actually Brig. Gen. was talking about PowerPoint]

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