Wordsmith.org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

Archives

FAQ


A.Word.A.Day--siamese

Pronunciation RealAudio

Siamese (si-uh-MEEZ, -MEES) adjective

1. Relating to Siam; Thai.

2. Closely connected, similar, or twin.

3. Relating to a Y-shaped connection among three pipes.

noun

1. A native of Siam; a Thai.

2. The Thai language.

[From Siam, former name of Thailand. Sense 3 is after Chang and Eng (1811-1874), who were born in Siam congenitally united.]

"A success story that people may remember is about the Siamese twins from Bougainville who were separated by surgeons in Australia some years ago." Theo Thomas; Fate of the Mendi Twins; The National (Papua New Guinea); Sep 18, 2003.

"Amazingly, the work areas don't seem to be congested even though the space contains the assembly/control center, a sub assembly station for joining the Siamese crankcase cores..." Harry Hirano, et al.; Coremaking at Toyoda; Foundry Management and Technology; Feb 1, 1998.

Sawadee, Bangkok! I have had a delightful time this past week meeting all the linguaphiles in Hong Kong. As I proceed towards Thailand (literally, the land of the free), it's time to feature words from around this region. I'll be speaking at Neilson Hayes Library, Bangkok on Oct 1 at 8 PM. If you live around here, stop by and say Sawadee (hello in Thai). Meanwhile, enjoy this week's words originating in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries and languages. -Anu

X-Bonus

Too much sanity may be madness. And maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be! -Miguel de Cervantes, writer (1547-1616)

What they say

“A trawl through the site’s archive yields all kinds of delights.”
Read more

The Observer


More articles

Anu Garg on words

“Browsing the OED is the idea of a perfect day for me.”

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2025 Wordsmith