philopena

[fil-uh-pee-nuh]

noun

1. a custom, presumably of German origin, in which two persons share the kernels of a nut and determine that one shall receive a forfeit from the other at a later time upon the saying of a certain word or the performance of a certain action.

2. the thing shared.

3. the forfeit paid.

Word History and Origins

Origin of philopena¹

1830–40, earlier philippina < Dutch philippine < German Vielliebchen, diminutive of viellieb very dear; in earlier form viellieb was taken as proper name Philippe Philip and -chen was made into feminine suffix -ina, giving a woman's name; in later form the word was Anglicized along pseudo-classical lines ( philo-, penal )

Example Sentences

On her left hand she wore the wedding circlet, with her engagement-ring and the philopena guard over it.

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"That little one, the guard, was my selection," he replied, indicating the philopena circlet.

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Ruth paid no heed to this; put on her ring again, using the philopena circlet as a guard; then she said, "Petie Trone, Esq., there will be just time before dinner for your Saturday scrubbing."

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I wish to thank him for my philopena, which came late last night.

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"We'll have something better than that, Miss Ruth—a philopena."

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