This week's theme: words to describe people.

tatterdemalion (tat-uhr-di-MAYL-yuhn, -MALEE-uhn) adjective

   Ragged, tattered.

noun

   A person in ragged clothes.

[From Middle English tater, from Old Norse toturr (rag).
The origin of demalion is uncertain.]

Today's word in Visual Thesaurus: http://visualthesaurus.com/?w1=tatterdemalion

-Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org)

  "He might look like lord of all he surveys, but look closer: He's
   a tatterdemalion emperor, a dictator in rags constantly patrolling
   his hard-won fiefdom."
   Washington City Paper; Theater Review: Free Your Mind; May 17, 2007.

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............................................................................
Whatever people in general do not understand, they are always prepared to
dislike; the incomprehensible is always the obnoxious. -Letitia E. Landon,
author (1802-1838)

Online Chat: Join us in a chat on the history of English with Anne Curzan,
author, editor, and professor. This event will take place on June 12, 2007
at 6 pm Pacific (GMT -7). More details are at http://wordsmith.org/chat

Pronunciation:
http://wordsmith.org/words/tatterdemalion.wav
http://wordsmith.org/words/tatterdemalion.ram

Permalink: http://wordsmith.org/words/tatterdemalion.html

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