spadassinicide

English

WOTD – 9 November 2008

Etymology

From spadassin +‎ -icide, from Italian spadaccino (“swordsman”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌspɑd.əˈsɪ.nɪ.seɪd/

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Noun

spadassinicide (plural spadassinicides)

1. (rare) 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. (rare) One who performs such an act.
   • 1921, Rafael Sabatini, “Chapter VI”, in Scaramouche, book III:

     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.