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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 5, 2012 is:
cockalorum \kah-kuh-LOR-um\ noun
1 : a boastful and self-important person
2 : boastful talk
Examples:
No one believed Marty's cockalorum about being an expert pool player, and as it turned out, he was indeed just as bad as the rest of us.
"No one is saying Little Floyd is a conniving little cockalorum, but … he would very much like to add another belt to his legacy. It is with much certainty, on his part, that he will."- From an article by Paul Strauss on EastsideBoxing.com, August 6, 2011
Did you know?
The image of a rooster (a.k.a. cock) strutting confidently across the barnyard or belting out a triumphant crow has long been associated with brash self-confidence. It's an association that has left quite a mark on the English language, giving us "crow" ("to brag"), "cock" ("a self-important person"), and "cocky" ("overconfident"), just to name a few. "Cockalorum" (which may have derived from the obsolete Flemish word "kockeloeren," meaning "to crow") is another example. It dates back at least as far as 1715, when it was used to describe the Marquis of Huntly - son of the Duke of Gordon, a Celtic Highlander chief who was himself known as the "Cock of the North." Presumably, the Marquis was not exactly known for his humility.
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