wisenheimer

Pronounced: WHY-zuhn-hi-mer, noun

Notes: I think I have heard this word, but it’s been many years since I’ve run across it

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Yesterday’s word

The word hugger-mugger means, as a noun “confusion or secret”. As verb, it means “to keep secret or act in a secretive manner”. As an adjective, it means “confused or secret”. As an adverb, it means “secretly or confusingly”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1500s

Background / Comments

The board game “hugger-mugger” has been described as a cross between Trivia Pursuit and a word game; there is a secret word that one has to answer questions to get a chance to guess the mystery word. I have the game, but I didn’t realize that the title referred to the secret word. The origin of our word is not known for sure, but some believe it is a reduplication of the Middle English word mokeren (to hoard or conceal). In case you’re wondering, ‘reduplication’ refers to the doubling of a specific syllable or sound.