Rafia
n.— «The Provisional IRA, once regarded as a staunch defender of the Catholic community, is rapidly losing all credibility over allegations of money laundering, theft and murder. It is already being referred to in some Catholic areas as the “Rafia,” in reference to the organised crime that has generated millions to bankroll Sinn Fein’s political ambitions.» —“Sinn Fein chiefs ‘sitting at IRA’s top table’” by Thomas Harding in London, England Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) Feb. 22, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Advice about college essays from the winner of a top prize for children’s literature: Kelly Barnhill encourages teens to write about experiences that are uniquely their own, from a point of view that is theirs and no one else’s. Plus, why do we say...
While compiling the Oxford English Dictionary, lexicographer James Murray exchanged hundreds of letters a week with authors, advisors, and volunteer researchers. A new collection online lets you eavesdrop on discussions about which words should be...