A listener from Indianapolis asks about the word chiffarobe meaning “a heavy wooden cabinet that combines hanging space with drawers.” The term is a blend of the French word chiffonier—originally a “rag-gatherer” used to store small personal items—and English wardrobe. Many furniture terms in English trace back to French, particularly names for elegant or specialized pieces, including armoire, bureau, commode, and chaise longueThis is part of a complete episode.
Susie Dent’s murder mystery Guilty by Definition (Bookshop|Amazon) follows a lexicographer in Oxford who becomes a sleuth of a different kind, seeking the culprit in a long-unsolved killing. A lexicographer herself, Dent includes lots of obscure and...
Mona from Riverview, Florida, grew up understanding that the word schmooze, which comes from Yiddish, meant simply “to mingle and chat” at parties, but when she fondly referred to her friend as a schmoozer, the friend was insulted, assuming that a...
