For today’s Weird Word Wednesday, let’s look at three words which have no known origin: Huckaback, kentledge and mumblebee.
In the book “How to Spell Like a Champ”, the authors (and past champions) with the Scripps National Spelling Bee stated: “What could be odder than a word that seemingly comes from nowhere? [These three words] . . . leave you stranded without even a root word to hang on to.
Here’s what www.merriam-webster says about these weird words:
Pronunciation: [ ˈhə-kə-ˌbak ]
Part of speech: Noun
Definition: An absorbent durable fabric of cotton, linen, or both used chiefly for towels.
“Huckaback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/huckaback. Accessed 18 Jan. 2022.
Pronunciation: [ ˈkent-lij ]
Part of speech: Noun
Definition: Pig iron or scrap metal used as ballast.
“Kentledge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kentledge. Accessed 18 Jan. 2022.
Pronunciation: [ mum-bull-bee ]
Part of speech: Noun
Definition: A sloop-rigged Devonshire fishing boat with a mast stepped far aft, a large foresail, and a jib. “Mumblebee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mumblebee. Accessed 18 Jan. 2022.