Today's Word "rumint"
Intelligence based on rumor
on
Published in Vocabulary
rumint \RU-mint\ (noun) - (Nonce word)Intelligence based on rumor or false information.
"The CIA reported an outbreak of anthrax in the Caucasus based on rumint from a disgruntled emigre."
Today's word is a play on a recombined double clipping. A clipping is a shortening of the pronunciation of a word, such as reducing "doctor" to "doc," "representative" to "rep," and refrigerator to "fridge." (Americans are known for their haste: fast-food restaurants and drive-through windows are other indicators.) Recombining a double clipping gives us the reduction of "HUman INTelligence" to 'humint." Then, by analogy, "RUmor INTelligence" becomes "rumint."