dunnage: M-W's Word of the Day

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The Word of the Day for August 20 is:

dunnage \DUN-ij\ noun
*1 : loose materials used to support and protect cargo in a ship's hold; also : padding in a shipping container
2 : baggage

Example sentence:
The container and dunnage add almost two more pounds to the total shipping weight of the items we're sending.

Did you know?
Here's a little quiz for word history buffs. Which of the following statements is true?

a) "Dunnage" derives from the Low German word "dunne twige," meaning "brushwood."
b) "Dunnage" derives from "Dunlop," the name of a famous cheese-making town in Scotland.
c) Etymologists don't know the exact origin of "dunnage."

You've got the goods if you guessed "c." Etymologists have pointed out the similarity of "dunnage" and "dunne twige," but no one has ever proven the two are related. Dunlop lent its name to the cheese it's so famous for, but neither the town nor the cheese has any connection to "dunnage." Truth be told, though "dunnage" has been with us since the 15th century, its etymological history remains a mystery.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

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