Fwd: "balloonacy, n." - Word of the Day from the OED

[Dave Monroe]

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Date: Sun, Apr 5, 2015 at 7:30 PM
Subject: "balloonacy, n." - Word of the Day from the OED
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Your word for today is: balloonacy, n.

balloonacy, n.
[‘ Mania for ballooning; balloon madness.’]
Pronunciation: Brit. /bəˈluːnəsi/,  U.S. /bəˈlunəsi/
Forms:  18– balloonacy,   19– ballunacy.
Etymology:Blend of balloon n. and lunacy n. Compare earlier
balloonatic n. and balloonomania n.
  Mania for ballooning; balloon madness.
1864 Daily Tel. 19 Feb., We live in an age of balloonacy.
1882 West. Daily Press 27 Mar. 3/1 A sharp epidemic of balloonacy.
1896 Daily News 15 Feb. 5/3, I see that the Swedish Government has
sent out a circular inviting the Geographical Society to assist him
[sc. Dr. Andrée] in his balloonacy.
1907 Bismarck (N. Dakota) Daily Tribune 8 Nov. 8/4 It is the latest
fad; Balloonacy, Balloonacy, The world is airship mad!
1996 Osiris 2nd. Ser. 11 161 Victorian precision seemed at odds with
Victorian ‘balloonacy’.

http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/270549

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