esquivalience
/ˌɛs.kwɪˈveɪ.li.əns/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English
27
Scrabble Score
13
Letters
5
Syllables
10
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "The New Oxford American Dictionary, for example, defines "esquivalience" as "the wilful avoidance of one's official responsibilities" […] they were "trying to make a word that could not arise in nature". But ploughing through to result 112 of 51,800 Google search hits turned up the phrase "esquivalience in the Oval Office"."
- "'Esquivalience', McKean explained, was chosen as a reflection of how diligently the team had grafted; they wanted to catch people who displayed ultimate esquivalience by simply copying all of their hard work."
- "What? We shouldn't? We should just leave them there? Ah, and so now after a lifetime of esquivalience you wish to play the hero!"
- "There'd be no “Star-Spangled Banner,” no “America the Beautiful,” and no Elvis. If you don't stop the cuts in funding for music, that—that'd be esquivalience on your part.”"
- "One can say that Mr. Springfield's esquivalience in formulating a motto for his town via a well-known speech was disappointing. After all, one would think that Jebediah's investment in the region and in his own legacy would have compelled […]"
Etymology
Made up as a copyright trap in the 2001 New Oxford American Dictionary, and said to be related to French esquiver (“evade, dodge, duck”). Began to see actual use by 2006, after having been identified as fictitious in 2005. The entry is still present in the dictionary's third edition (2010).
Origin
- Source language: French
Word Breakdown
- Root: esquiver