• panjandrum •
Printable Version Pronunciation: pæn-jæn-drêm • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A mock title for a high-ranking, super supercilious, self-centered person: a Pooh-bah (a character in The Mikado), a High Muck-a-muck (Chinook jargon hayo makamak "plenty to eat"), a mugwump (Algonquian for "great chief").
Notes: This is a word bereft of kinswords other than a normal plural, panjandrums. Of course, since it ends on -um, like datum (data) and paramecium (paramecia), you could play with "all the panjandra" to get a wider smile.
In Play: This light-hearted word also has beauty that should not be ignored: "Today I am the Grand Panjandrum of my demesne, overseeing the fall colors of my garden, feasting on olives, cheese, grapes, and fresh-baked bread in my royally favorite nightgown." A large dahlia or chrysanthemum could be the grand panjandrum of that garden. This word is a fine blade to use against self-importance. "Why should I have to lay down a bunt? You're just the coach; you're not the Grand Panjandrum of Poohbahbia," would be a sparkling note on which to end your baseball career.
Word History: The Irish actor Charles Macklin (1697-1797) loved to boast that he could memorize any paragraph on one reading. To test that boast, Samuel Foote composed a test paragraph in 1754 that you may read here. We have no report on how well Macklin performed with the lines of Foote in his mouth, however, one phrase, 'the great Panjandrum', stuck in the language. The word is very remindful of the names of the lords of India and Pakistan, giving it the ring of authenticity and mystery.
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