Make Your Point > Archived Issues > DEFENESTRATE
Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.
The word defenestrate is pretty hilarious. So are skullduggery, skunkworks, and kerfuffle, all of which crack me right up.
In Latin, fenestra means "window." Fenestra pops up in just a few English words, like "fenestral," meaning "having windows, or having to do with windows;" and "defenestrate," meaning "to toss out a window."
(Source)
Part of speech:
"Defenestrate" is unapologetically silly. It's also rare, but it's pretty easy to understand in context.
"When Peter Thiel defenestrated [Elon Musk] from PayPal, it was because Musk wanted to rename PayPal."
Explain the meaning of "defenestrate" without saying "toss out" or "jettison."
Fill in the blank: "Some days, I wouldn't mind defenestrating (some object or other thing)."
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
1.
Near opposites of DEFENESTRATE include
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |