Boycottage

/ˈbɔɪkɒtɪdʒ/ noun

Definition

The practice or act of boycotting; a collective refusal to engage with a person, business, or country as political or social protest.

Etymology

From boycott (itself named after Charles C. Boycott, an Irish land agent in the 1880s) combined with the suffix -age meaning action or practice. The word shows how a person's surname became a verb describing collective protest.

Kelly Says

It's wild that 'boycott' comes from a person's actual name—Charles Boycott was ostracized for his harsh treatment of tenants, and the practice became so famous his name became a universal English word.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.