petalism

English

Etymology

From Middle French petalisme, and its source, Hellenistic Ancient Greek πεταλισμός (petalismós), from πέταλον (pétalon, “leaf”) (because the ballot for banishment was written on olive leaves).

Pronunciation

(UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɛtəlɪz(ə)m/

Noun

petalism (countable and uncountable, plural petalisms)

(historical) A form of ostracism among the ancient Syracusans by which they temporarily banished a citizen suspected of having dangerous influence or ambition. [from 17th c.]
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 32, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
  Witnesse the Ostracisme amongst the Athenians, and the Petalisme among the Siracusans.

Anagrams

implates, laptimes, palmiest, septimal, tilemaps

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