THE FIRST WORD

sashay

PRONUNCIATION:

(sa-SHAY) 

MEANING:

verb intr.:
1. To move, walk, or glide along nonchalantly.
2. To strut or move in a showy manner.

ETYMOLOGY:

From switching of syllables in a mispronunciation of French chassé (a ballet movement involving gliding steps with the same foot always leading), past participle of chasser (to chase), from captare (to try to catch), frequentative of Latin capere (to take). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kap- (to grasp), which also gave us captive, capsule, chassis, cable, occupy, deceive, behoof, caitiff, percipient, captious, and gaff. Earliest documented use: 1836.

USAGE:

"Tyler switched to 6th Street, the car swaying and sashaying through the leafy old homes of Hancock Park."
Denise Hamilton; Damage Control; Scribner; 2011.