Table of Contents
The word for today is…
autochthonous (adjective) -
1: indigenous, native
2: formed or originating in the place where found
Source : Merriam-Webster
Etymology : Ancient Athenians considered their ancestors the primordial inhabitants of their land, as if sprung from the very soil of the region they inhabited. Their word for any true-born Athenian, "autochthōn," itself springs from auto-, meaning "self," and chthōn, meaning "earth." Nowadays, the English adjective "autochthonous" is often used in somewhat meaty scientific or anthropological writing (as in "several autochthonous cases of fever broke out in the region"), but it was a "bready" context in which it made its debut. Observed English literary critic William Taylor in 1805: "The English have this great predilection for autochthonous bread and butter" (rather than French bread, one might safely presume).
If you enjoyed this Good Oil word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.
