This week’s theme
Words that aren’t what they appear to be

This week’s words
corroboree
monomachy
verisimilar
polystyle
doctor's mandate

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(muh-NOM-uh-kee)

MEANING:

noun: A fight between two people or forces.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek mono- (one) + -machy (battle). Earliest documented use: 1582.

NOTES:

If a monomachy is a fight between two people, what’s a duomachy? Also a fight between two people. Best not to spar with the English language. Don’t duel with a language, any language. Here’s how it works: mono here refers to the number of contests, not the number of contestants. In some battles, one champion from each army engaged in a duel and the outcome is taken as if the whole army fought. Saves a lot of casualties, though not much confusion for the etymologist.

USAGE:

“In the summer of 2003 I received an invitation to play a secret eight-game training match in Ukraine, against the then world champion, Ruslan Ponomariov, as part of his preparations for his match against Garry Kasparov. ... The monomachy took place in a lodge in a mountain retreat outside the Black Sea port of Yalta.”
Nigel Short; The King and I; The Guardian (London, UK); Feb 16, 2006.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: