A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg canaille PRONUNCIATION: (kuh-NAYL, -NY) MEANING: noun: The common people; the masses; riffraff. ETYMOLOGY: From French canaille (villain, rabble), from Italian canaglia (pack of dogs, rabble), from cane (dog), from Latin canis (dog). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kwon- (dog), which is also the source of canine, chenille (from French chenille: caterpillar, literally, little dog), kennel, canary, hound, dachshund, corgi, cynic, and cynosure. Earliest documented use: 1676. USAGE: The gang in the alley was not canaille; fine gentlemen from the court were raging here. Isak Dinesen; Last Tales; Random House; 1957. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Money, n. A blessing that is of no advantage to us excepting when we part with it. An evidence of culture and a passport to polite society. -Ambrose Bierce, writer (1842-1914)
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 13:00:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015