mishpocha

Pronounced: mish-PAW-khuh (alt: mish-POOKH-uh), noun

Notes: This word looks vaguely Indian (from India, not America)

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Yesterday’s word

The word pasha is “a person of high rank or importance”

First usage

This word came into English in the mid-1600s

Background / Comments

I should have recognized part of this word. It comes from the Turkish word pasa, which came from the Persian word padshah, which is made up of pati (master), and shah (king). It is this latter bit I should have recognized; I knew that shah meant “king” because of chess – the word “checkmate” comes from shah + mate (the king is dead).