Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

perkinism

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables
perkin-ism
IPA
17
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A pseudoscientific treatment in which two pointed metal rods ("tractors") were waved over the body, supposed to cure inflammation, rheumatism, etc. by drawing off an electrical fluid.

Archaic; Uncountable

Etymology

From Perkins + -ism, after inventor Elisha Perkins (1741–1799).

Word Breakdown

Usage

Synonyms

tractoration tractorism

Questions

What does perkinism mean?
A pseudoscientific treatment in which two pointed metal rods ("tractors") were waved over the body, supposed to cure inflammation, rheumatism, etc. by drawing off an electrical fluid.
Where does perkinism come from?
From Perkins + -ism, after inventor Elisha Perkins (1741–1799).

How to pronounce perkinism

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “perkinism”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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  4. Repeat and practice — Say “perkinism” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.