Disappointed Instead of Defenestrated

Dragonish - Disappointed Instead of Defenestrated
In the 15th century, the word disappoint meant “to remove someone from appointed office.” Only later did the word take on its modern meaning of “fail to fulfill expectations.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Disappointed Instead of Defenestrated”

I had a light bulb moment this week when I was reading about the word disappoint.

Because it turns out that in the 15th century, the first use of disappoint referred to removing a person from appointed office, literally to disappoint them. Or you could disappoint a ruler, for example, which meant that they no longer ruled. And it was only later that disappoint came to mean, you know, to frustrate or disappoint.

Right. Take somebody out of office to remove them from their appointment to that office.

Very good.

Hit us up on email, words@waywordradio.org.

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