esquivalience

Not valid in Scrabble

It's a recognised English word, but it isn't in the official NASPA Scrabble word list.

Scrabble points
27
Words With Friends
32
Letters
13
Pronunciation
/ˌɛs.kwɪˈveɪ.li.əns/

Definition of esquivalience

1 sense · 1 part of speech · etymology included

noun

  1. (uncountable)Deliberate shirking of one's official duties.
    “The New Oxford American Dictionary, for example, defines "esquivalience" as "the wilful avoidance of one's official responsibilities" […] they were "trying to make a word that could not arise in nature". But ploughing through to result 112 of 51,800 Google search hits turned up the phrase "esquivalience in the Oval Office".”
    “'Esquivalience', McKean explained, was chosen as a reflection of how diligently the team had grafted; they wanted to catch people who displayed ultimate esquivalience by simply copying all of their hard work.”
    “What? We shouldn't? We should just leave them there? Ah, and so now after a lifetime of esquivalience you wish to play the hero!”
    “There'd be no “Star-Spangled Banner,” no “America the Beautiful,” and no Elvis. If you don't stop the cuts in funding for music, that—that'd be esquivalience on your part.””
    “One can say that Mr. Springfield's esquivalience in formulating a motto for his town via a well-known speech was disappointing. After all, one would think that Jebediah's investment in the region and in his own legacy would have compelled […]”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

Made up as a copyright trap in the 2001 New Oxford American Dictionary, and said to be related to French esquiver (“evade, dodge, duck”). Began to see actual use by 2006, after having been identified as fictitious in 2005. The entry is still present in the dictionary's third edition (2010).

Anagrams of esquivalience

1 play · all valid Scrabble

Words you can make from esquivalience

200+ playable · top: EQUIVALENCIES (27 pts)

Best play equivalencies 27 points

12-letter words

1 word

11-letter words

1 word

9-letter words

5 words

8-letter words

23 words

7-letter words

62 words

6-letter words

107 words

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