A.Word.A.Day -- atomy

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A.Word.A.Day--atomy

(AT-uh-mee)

noun: A skeleton.

[From the word anatomy taken as "an atomy". From Latin anatomia, from Greek ana- (up) + tomia (a cutting). Ultimately from the Indo-European root tem- (to cut) that is also the source of tonsure, temple, epitome, and contemplate.]

"That eyes, that are the frail'st and softest things,
Who shut their coward gates on atomies,
Should be call'd tyrants, butchers, murderers!"
William Shakespeare; As You Like It; 1599.

This week's theme: Words formed by false splitting

X-Bonus

To use bitter words, when kind words are at hand is like picking unripe fruit when the ripe fruit is there. -Thiruvalluvar, poet (c. 1st century BCE or 6th century CE)

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