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WISHBONE (n. pl. -S)
Definition(s):
- (n.) a forked bone in front of a bird’s breastbone, consisting chiefly of the two clavicles fused at their median or lower end; a furcula
- (n.) in football, an offensive formation in which the halfbacks are positioned behind and to either side of the fullback
- (n.) something shaped like a forked bone
Useful information for game players:
- Front hooks: (none)
- Back hooks: -S
- Anagrams: (none)
- Longer extensions: (none)
- Wraparounds: (none)
- Other Spellings: (none)
- Related Forms: (none)
Epilogue:
While WISHBONE seems a very common word now, it is actually a relatively recent coinage that started appearing in American publications only in the mid-1800s and did not come into widespread usage until the early 1900s. For about three hundred years prior to that, the standard term for the forked bone in front of a bird’s breastbone was MERRYTHOUGHT. Now there’s a delightful old word, deserving of revival!
Both MERRYTHOUGHT and WISHBONE come from the ritual of two people breaking the bone, originally with the idea that the person holding the larger part (or in some circles, the smaller part) would be married sooner, or later with the idea that the person would be granted a wish.
For those wanting a more scientific term, the bone is also called a FURCULA or FURCULUM. Those terms derive from the Latin furca (“fork”), which also serves up FORK, FURCATE, BIFURCATE, TRIFURCATE, and related FORKY words.
This week’s theme: A cornucopia of words inspired by Thanksgiving
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