Word of the Day – Pignorate

Pignorate (verb)

pig-no-rayt

(rare) (historic) To give or take as a pledge; to pawn.

Early 17th century; earliest use found in Henry Cockeram (fl. 1623–1658), lexicographer. From classical Latin pignerāt-, past participial stem of pignerāre (in post-classical Latin also pignorare) to give as a pledge from pigner- (also pignor-), pignus pledge (perhaps from the stem of pingere + a suffix of Indo-European origin forming legal terms relating to property, also seen in e.g. fēnus interest; the word would thus originally have denoted a mark made to record a pledge).

Example sentences

“He did pignorate the deal, so trust it’s in good hands.”