spadassinicide

WOTD – 9 November 2008    

English

Etymology

From English spadassin, from Italian spadaccino (“swordsman”)

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA: /ˌspɑd.əˈsɪ.nɪ.seɪd/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

spadassinicide (plural spadassinicides)

1. The act of coaxing someone, usually through insult, into initiating a swordsman's duel, and subsequently killing that person with superior skill so as to commit legal murder.
2. One who performs such an act.
   • 1921, Rafael Sabatini, Scaramouche,

     Challenges are flying right and left between these bully-swordsmen, these spadassinicides, and poor devils of the robe who have never learnt to fence with anything but a quill.