The Words of the Week - Feb. 9

‘Shrinkflation’

Shrinkflation has been in the news a good deal of late, and lookups for the word have increased dramatically as a result.

‘Shrinkflation’ Is in the Air, Online and Everywhere Else
— (headline) The Wall Street Journal, 4 Feb. 2024

Shrinkflation is “the practice of reducing a product's amount or volume per unit while continuing to offer it at the same price.” It is, perhaps obviously, a combination of shrink and the latter portion of inflation. While people have doubtless been complaining about the idea of shrinkflation for a considerably longer length of time, our earliest record of use for the word itself comes from 1991.

Shrink-flation is hitting your favorite brands … Reduced Contents! Same Price!
— Poughkeepsie Journal, 6 Jan. 1991

‘Deluge’

Deluge had a busy week, after much of California received a tremendous amount of rainfall in a short period of time.

California braces for landslides after LA deluged with rain
— (headline) PBS News Hour, 6 Feb. 2024

We define this sense of deluge as “to overflow with water.” The word more commonly functions as a noun, with such meanings as “an overflowing of the land by water” and “an overwhelming amount or number.” Deluge comes from the Latin lavere, meaning “to wash,” a root it shares with words such as dilute and latrine.

‘Psyops’

Psyops has had a sharp increase in lookups over the past few weeks, with Taylor Swift being accused of being part of a Pentagon operation.

Taylor Swift Conspiracy Theorists Get Psyops All Wrong
— (headline) Wired, 1 Feb. 2024

Psyops is defined as “military operations usually aimed at influencing the enemy's state of mind through noncombative means (such as distribution of leaflets).” The word is a blend of psychological & operations, and has been in use since the early 1960s.

This is the Psychological Operations Branch of the Security Forces in Sarawak and Brunei at work. The branch, familiarly called Psy-Ops, uses loud speaker-equipped vehicles and aeroplanes, and normal information sources such as radio, newspapers, and pamphlets.
— South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), 2 July 1963

‘Scuttle’

Scuttle was high in lookups last week, after Republicans in Congress were said to have done this to negotiations on legislation with Democrats.

Democrats lean in on border security as Republicans scuttle deal
— (headline) CNN, 31 Jan. 2024

Scuttle is often used, as above, to mean “destroy, wreck.” This use is also synonymous with scrap, with the meaning “to abandon or get rid of as no longer of enough worth or effectiveness to retain.” The earliest use of this verb is one we define as “to cut a hole through the bottom, deck, or side of a ship; specifically : to sink or attempt to sink by making holes through the bottom.” As a noun scuttle has a number of older nautical meanings, including “a small hole in the side or bottom of a ship,” and “a small opening or hatchway in the deck of a ship large enough to admit a person and with a lid for covering it.”

‘Football’

The Super Bowl is taking place this coming weekend, and so football is on the minds of many.

While the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs prepare to compete for all the marbles, football fans across the country are facing Super Bowl LVIII-related pressure of their own.
— ESPN, 7 Feb. 2024

This word has more possible meanings than one might imagine. The one used above is defined as “an American game played between two teams of 11 players each in which the ball is in possession of one side at a time and is advanced by running or passing.” This version of football evolved in the 19th century as a combination of rugby and soccer. However, football may also refer to Canadian football, Australian Rules Football, British soccer (or rugby), or “something treated roughly especially as the subject of a prolonged dispute.” If you are in need of some linguistic small talk during the big game, we have an article on football terms; if you prefer superb owls to Super Bowls we’ve got that as well.

Words Worth Knowing: ‘Conjubilant’

Our word worth knowing this week is conjubilant, defined as “shouting together with joy.” We hope that no matter which team wins the big football game that you still have an occasion and reason to be conjubilant with friends and family.