- Today's Word
Scuttlebutt
[SKUT-l-buht ]
Definition
- (noun) Rumor or gossip, especially among sailors or in a nautical setting. In broader usage, it’s used to describe unofficial information or rumors circulating within any group or organization.
The office scuttlebutt suggests that the company might be merging with its biggest competitor, but nothing official has been announced yet.
Fun Fact
The term “scuttlebutt” has a fascinating nautical origin. On sailing ships, a “scuttle” was a cask that held drinking water, and the “butt” was a large barrel. Sailors would gather around the scuttlebutt to drink and exchange gossip or news, much like modern office workers might do around a water cooler. Over time, the term came to refer to the gossip itself rather than the place where it was shared. This nautical slang term has sailed into common usage, demonstrating how specialized jargon can evolve into everyday language, carrying with it a colorful backstory of life at sea.
(verb) To criticize someone or something severely and publicly, often with harsh or scathing language.
The columnist excoriated the company’s leadership for ignoring repeated safety warnings.
Excoriate comes from the Latin excoriare, meaning “to strip off the skin,” from ex- (“off”) and corium (“hide” or “skin”). While the word originally described physical abrasion, its meaning shifted metaphorically over time to describe verbal attacks so harsh they feel skin-deep, leaving nothing protected.