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October 1, 2009 12:30 pm
(@Anonymous)
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To settle a bet:Is vacuum the only English word spelled with consecutive u's? I hope so.
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October 1, 2009 1:43 pm
(@Anonymous)
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In the continuum of English words, no.
(The OED also turns up "duumvirate", though their latest example of use is from 1894.)
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October 1, 2009 5:30 pm
(@Anonymous)
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Many are archaic or foreign, and almost half are based on vacuum, but I get more than 100 hits from the OED. In addition to continuum, the better ones include muumuu, residuum, and Weltanschauung. Does pay-as-you-use count?
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October 1, 2009 10:42 pm
(@Anonymous)
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Not nearly as common as vacuum or continuum, are several -uu- words related to more familiar words:
residual – residuum "something residual"
triumvirate – duumvirate "two-person ruling body"
premenstral – premenstruum "the time during which wise men smile and say 'yes, dear'"
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