A.Word.A.Daywith Anu Garg
Everyone, even the blandest ones among us, has more than one side to them. However, there are people whose impact on the world, for better or worse, is so profound that it overshadows everything else about them.
Their contributions might be in the form of a theory, a work of fiction, a mode of behavior, their role in a historical event, or simply the force of their personality. Such impactful legacies often inspire eponyms, words that are derived from someone’s name.
This week, we’re diving into the whimsical world of eponyms, celebrating names that have journeyed from the halls of history and pages of fiction into our everyday vocabulary.
What eponyms would you coin after leaders, past or present, in your country? Share on our website or email us at words@wordsmith.org. Include your location (city, state). Include: Eponym, part of speech: definition, usage example.
Machiavellianism
PRONUNCIATION:
MEANING:
noun: The use of unscrupulous means, cunning, and deceit in pursuit of power, especially in politics.
ETYMOLOGY:
After Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), Florentine statesman and author of The Prince, a political treatise describing the use of craft and deceit to achieve political power. Earliest documented use: 1607.
