Word Of The Week #69
Word Of The Week -- suppedaneum
Definition: sup·pe·da·ne·um (sŭp-&-dā'nē-&m)
n.A shelf affixed to a cross for supporting the feet of the crucified.
Etymology: [Late Latin: suppedāneus, under the feet.]
Obscurity: 95% (Come again?)
Usefulness: 5% (Jargon word, not generally used in casual conversation.)
Examples:
(def. 1) "With the Roman Kreuzigung served the Suppedaneum attached at the cross resting the feet and thus the body weight. Thus the death candidate could relieve its arms, which facilitated a breathing for him and which death out-hesitated by suffocating."
I'd never heard of this word -- or even suspected it might exist -- until your friend and mine, jlg1, decided to make it his fantasy football team name this year. Previous incarnations of his team were called the Raconteurs (2006) and the Haberdashers (2005).
If you're planning for your team names to get more and more emo every year, John, I'm interested to see how you're going to top this one. :)
--- Ajax.