Saturday, 2 January 2010

pigsney

In honour of the many friends who have recently announced either engagements or pregnancies (no one's announced both together) I give you the delightfully ambiguous:

pigsney, pigsny or pigsnie (archaic) n a term of endearment (sometimes contempt), esp to a woman; an eye (playfully; obs) [Origin from pig's eye, with prosthetic n (from an eye, mine eye)] Chambers, 1998

Must confess I don't fully understand the origin description, however I know pig comes from Middle English so I'll guess this is a fairly old word. I think it's brilliant that it can be used with both love and contempt.

While we're here though, I must also introduce the delightful:

pigsconce n a pigheaded person Chambers, 1998

Does the English language have too many words for pigheadedness? Internet says: no.

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