Word of the Day – Shillelagh

Shillelagh (noun)

shil-ay-lee

a club or staff, traditionally of blackthorn or oak.

Shillelagh, “club, stick” has two possible origins. Though it may not seem like one at first, shillelagh may be an example of a toponym, or a word derived from a placename. While English has no shortage of food-related toponyms, this origin of shillelagh is not found in the kitchen. Instead, shillelagh comes from the Irish town name Síol Éalaigh, which is located in County Wicklow, Ireland, next to a forest that once provided wood for the clubs.

Example sentences

“Others had prgressed to walking poles, but she stuck with her trusty shillelagh.”