centonism · noun — the composition of a cento (poem); the act or practice of composing centos. It carries an Arena rating of 1394, earned across 78 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, centonism ranks #919 of 17,152 for The Improbable, #5,717 of 17,152 for Most Whimsical Words, #5,934 of 17,157 for Most Exacting Words, #6,059 of 17,135 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound.
Why “centonism” is a great word
CENTONISM — [Noun] The practice of composing a cento, a poem assembled from lines or passages taken verbatim from other authors. From Latin centōn-, cento ("patchwork garment, cento poem") + the English suffix -ism (denoting a practice or system). Unlike a pastiche, which imitates a style, or an original composition, which claims new invention, centonism is a strict craft of textual salvage. It is the palpable click of a borrowed fragment locking into place, the shimmer of a familiar line seen in an unfamiliar constellation, the ghostly choir of a hundred poets speaking through a single, crafted vessel—a quiet testament that meaning can be found not only in creation, but in judicious, loving rearrangement.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From Latin centō (stem centōn-) + -ism.
noun
- The composition of a cento (poem); the act or practice of composing centos.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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