manducate

Pronounced: MAN-joo-kate, verb

Notes: It looked to me like it was related to “matriculate” or “educate”, but it is not

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Yesterday’s word

The word amphibology is “a sentence or phrase that can be interpreted in more than one way”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1300s

Background / Comments

Example 1 (this one is from Groucho Marx): “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas.” Example 2 (a bit barbed): “Nothing is too good for you” Example 3 (a college friend used this one): “That’s incredible”. I’m happy to know that there is a word for these sayings. Our word came from Latin Latin, which came from Greek amphibolos, composed of amphi- (both) and ballein (to throw), thus “hitting at both ends”. Our word can also refer to unintentional confusion: “Bob told me he had a call from Uncle Steve; he might call him back the next day”.