sumpsimus

1 9.9

A correct word people use instead of a common wrong word, often in a stubborn way

noun
/ˈsʌmpsɪməs/

Archaic

: sumpsimus

The editor was quick to correct the old mumpsimus with the proper sumpsimus.

Examples

Despite popular resistance, the grammatical sumpsimus eventually replaced the widespread mistake.
Linguists enjoy pointing out the sumpsimus to those who stick to popular but flawed phrases.
His insistence on using sumpsimus impressed everyone.
Many people still confuse sumpsimus with its incorrect counterpart.
The teacher emphasized the importance of using the correct sumpsimus in academic writing.
During the debate, he stubbornly defended his sumpsimus against common misconceptions.
She was proud to use the sumpsimus in her report, highlighting its correctness over the error.

Surface Forms

sumpsimus singular

sumpsimi plural

Etymology

Sumpsimus comes from an old Latin word sumere meaning 'to take', and the Latin form sumpsimus meant 'we took'. One popular story says a priest misread it as 'mumpsimus' and kept the wrong word, so sumpsimus came to mean the correct word that someone stubbornly insists on.