English
Galileo gambit
Galileo gambit comes from English gambit ‘stratagem, tactic’.
- English1500–presentgambit‘stratagem, tactic’
- EnglishtodayGalileo gambit
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- English1500–presentgambit‘stratagem, tactic’
- EnglishtodayGalileo gambit
A compound of Galileo + gambit ‘stratagem, tactic’
Proto-Indo-European *kh₂empeh₂
…
Ancient Greek καμπή ‘flexion’
Late Latin gamba
Italian gamba ‘leg’
Italian gambetto ‘act of tripping’
English gambit
The story
Named after Galileo Galilei, who was persecuted by the Church for his beliefs.
Every English word from English gambit
Today it means
noun Purposeful attraction of criticism or ridicule for the purpose of portraying one's argument as oppressed and therefore correct. Also, the argument that one is correct due to such opposition.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / English gambit / Galileo gambit