fey

Pronounced: FAY, adj

Notes: I thought I knew the word and had a shock when I read the meaning

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Yesterday’s word

The word rounceval means, as an adjective, “big; strong”. As a noun, it means “someone or something that is large”.

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1500s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the town of Roncesvalles, which is at the foot of the Pyrenees. In 778, there was a battle (the “Battle of Rouncevaux Pass”): Roland, a commander of Charlemagne’s army was defeated by the Basques. Over time, the story of the battle became a legend; when giant bones of some prehistoric animals were discovered, the story was that the bones were actually those of heroes slain at the battle.