Ducdame

/ˈdʌkdeɪm/ noun

Definition

A nonsense word or magical incantation that appears in Shakespeare's 'As You Like It,' originally of unclear meaning but often interpreted as a summoning phrase.

Etymology

From Shakespeare's play 'As You Like It' (1599), where a character uses it mysteriously; its origin and meaning were deliberately obscure, possibly a Shakespearean invention.

Kelly Says

Ducdame proves that nonsense words can become real words through literary immortality—scholars still debate whether Shakespeare made it up as pure sound magic or based it on some lost language!

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