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May 3, 2022
This week’s theme
New words

This week’s words
clickbait
omnishambles
listicle
acquihire
paywall

omnishambles
Illustration: Karen Folsom #kgfolsart

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A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

omnishambles

PRONUNCIATION:
(OM-ni-sham-buhlz)

MEANING:
noun: A situation that is a complete mess, especially when resulting from mismanagement.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin omni- (all) + shambles (a state of great disorder). The word was coined by writer Tony Roche in The Thick of It (video, 2 sec.), a satirical television series about the inner workings of the British government. Earliest documented use: 2009. Some related terms are dumpster fire and clusterfuck.

USAGE:
“The Sudanese pound lost more than 50% of its value between 2011 and 2015. Iran, an economic omnishambles itself, offered no succour.”
General Agreement; The Economist (London, UK); Oct 31, 2020.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Peace has a mind of its own, and doesn't follow victory around. -Norman Corwin, writer, producer, and teacher (3 May 1910-2011)

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