Monday words: Chichevache and Bicorne

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Chichevache [CHEESH-vahsh]

(n.)
 

- A medieval monster, said to have fed exclusively upon the flesh of patient wives, and was therefore very lean.
 

From Middle French “chicheface” from Old French “chincheface” from “chiche” (lean; skinny; miserly; parsimonious) + “face” (face) which was changed to “vache” (cow) when brought into English use by Chaucer.
 

Used in a sentence:

“Oh don’t you worry your pretty little head, darling; you are certainly safe from the gaping maw of the chichevache!”

Bicorne or Bycorne [BAHY-kohrn]

(n.)
 

- A medieval two-horned monster, said to have fed exclusively upon the flesh of patient husbands, and has therefore grown very large (yeah, right).
 

From Middle French “bicorne” (two-horned) from classical Latin “bicornis” (two-horned anvil)
 

Used in a sentence:

“Oh yeah? Well, don’t bother trying to hide if you see a bicorne coming your way, for I assure you that you are likewise quite safe!”

(from The Grandiloquent Word of the Day)
 

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