Welcome

My name is David Burrows and I am a freelance translator of Spanish into English. This blog contains some of my favourite words, a (mostly) amusing explanation of said words as well as some of my musings about translation. I hope you enjoy it.

Thursday 8 October 2009

Defenestration

Noun - The action of throwing someone out of a window. (From the latin fenestra - window). Source: The Oxford English Dictionary.

The old 'What does defenestration mean?' prank had gone too far this time...


I like this word as it demonstrates the fact that the action must have occurred with sufficient frequency that someone must have felt that there was a need for a specific word to describe it.
Its Latin root suggests that it is something which has been happening since at least Roman times and I believe this can only be a good thing as it has lead to the creation of such an interesting and amusing word.
Note that the word only applies to throwing people out of windows: there is actually no word (that I can think of) for throwing inanimate objects or animals through windows.
Also, I would perhaps alter the Oxford definition to: 'the action or art of throwing someone out of a window' because if you are going to do something, you may as well do it with style.

Usage: "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair. But take care not to defenestrate yourself."

2 comments:

  1. I had no idea you had a blog. An excellent word, I'd never heard it before but can think of many people I like to defenestrate...

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  2. Defenestrate also can mean, 'the quick expulsion of a politician or political party from power'. Scot in Indianapolis Indy4good@Yahoo.com

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