During last nighttime ’s presidential argument , the prospect were expect what they would do about the humanitarian crisis in the Syrian city of Aleppo . briefly after that , Kory Stamper , a lexicographer withMerriam - Webster , tweeted out a list of the words that were testify a spike in lookups at the Merriam - Webster dictionary site . At the top of the list waslepo , followed by a list of other argument words in whichAleppocame seventh .
Was it really the case that people were hearingAleppoasa lepo ? Searches on Google indicate that this was indeed the causa . Google Trendsshowed a spike in Google search forlepoat the same metre
The related queries show that it was indeed the case that people were hearingAleppoas alepo(or in some cases , el lepo ) .
If you ’ve never try of Aleppo , this is not such a surd mistake to make . The rhythm and stress pattern ofAleppomakes that first syllable vocalise exactly like the indefinite articlea . And there actually happens to be a meaning forlepoin English . According toMerriam - Webster , it is a combine physical body , from Greek , which means husk , rind , or scale as inlepocyte orlepothrix . These honest-to-god - fashioned parole name , respectively , to a type of biologic cell with a cellular telephone rampart and a scaly follicle disease affecting the armpit or pubic hair’s-breadth .
It is probably the event that most people were steered by their lookups to the correct spelling of the Syrian city and , hopefully , to more info about the situation there . What is merica?jokes by , that is just how it should knead when people are n’t quite sure what they ’re looking for .
