A.Word.A.Day -- transpontine

A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact

Home

Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

A.Word.A.Day--transpontine

This week's theme: miscellaneous words.

transpontine (trans-PON-tyn) adjective

1. Across the bridge.

2. Situated on the south side of the Thames River in London.

3. Melodramatic (alluding to the type of dramas once performed in theaters south of the Thames).

[From Latin trans- (across) + pons (bridge). Ultimately from the Indo-European root pent- (to tread) that also gave us words such as English find, Dutch pad (path), French pont (bridge), and Russian sputnik (traveling companion).]

"Baker was short and chunky and transpontine -- he lived over the bridge in Barnes with his mum and cacti."
Johnny Green and Garry Barker; A Riot of Our Own: Night and Day with the Clash; Faber & Faber; 1999.

"The singer who makes the biggest splash is Lauren Flanigan, prone to transpontine acting at critical moments."
Michael Tanner; Solemnity of Weber; The Spectator (London, UK); Jul 6, 2002.

X-Bonus

Just as a cautious businessman avoids tying up all his capital in one concern, so, perhaps, worldly wisdom will advise us not to look for the whole of our satisfaction from a single aspiration. -Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)

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