Each week, I’m going to present an amazing word. A word that
has a double meaning either directly or perhaps through origin, where is has
evolved into a new meaning, or carries a wonderful Onomatopoeic effect.
This week my amazing word is:
BOULEVERSEMENT
The part I like most about bouleversement, beside the general sound of the word, is the three
tier connotation.
The simplest form means a reversal: The lottery win started a remarkable bouleversement in David’s luck.
Digging a bit deeper, we see it
implies a more profound upheaval or dramatic change: The Soviet Union collapsed amid the amazing political bouleversement of that era.
Finally, if we trace the development of the word back to 18th
Century French, the meaning derives from boule,
ball, and verser, to overturn, and so
any sporting analogy will carry well, though one might wish to save it for a
more refined occasion: The Prince made a
hasty, and somewhat ill tempted exit, following the alarming bouleversement against his team in the
final Polo match of the weekend.
