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Today's Word "Psephology"

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psephology \se-FAH-leh-gee\ (noun) - The study of political campaigns and elections, including voting trends that predict election results. It could also be used to refer to the conduct of elections and voting trends themselves.

"The Florida results of the 2000 presidential election put U.S. psephology to its severest test."

 

Today's word was concocted around 1952 by a certain Mr. R. B. McCallum, who apparently didn't want people to catch on to what he did. It is made up of Greek psephos "smooth round pebble" + o + logos "word, idea, study." The word for "pebble" was chosen because ancient Greeks sometimes voted by casting pebbles for (seldom at) the candidates. So, it can also refer to the study of small, round stones.


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