This week’s theme
Tosspot words borrowed from other languages

This week’s words
amuse-gueule
skitterbrook
cache-sexe
scaldabanco
gainpain

This week’s comments
AWADmail 882

Next week’s theme
Words originating in shoes

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(GAYN-payn)

MEANING:

noun:
1. A long thick glove: gauntlet.
2. A hired soldier: mercenary.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Old French gaignepain (literally, wins the bread), from gagner (to win or earn) + pain (bread). Earliest documented use: 1430.

USAGE:

“The gainpain was a glove, at first of steel and later of leather, for the right hand.”
The Connoisseur; Nat Mags; 1928.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: