Word of the Week: October 16, 2000
Nominal Fates

Word of the Week: Nominal Fates Derricks and guillotines are both devices for execution, and both came from the name of a person. Derrick comes from the name of a well-known hangman at Tyburn around 1600, while guillotine is from the name of a doctor, Guillotin, a man who wanted to find a more humane method of execution. It is an irony that such a humane wish should have resulted in his name's being synonymous with death.

Words of the Week are written by Dr. Jacques A. Bailly.