locofoco

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*stel-der.?
2. Proto-Italic*s(t)lokos
3. Old Latinstlocus
4. Latinlocus
5. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-der.?
6. Proto-Indo-European*dʰegʷʰ-der.?
7. Latinfocus
8. English todaylocofoco

From Latin locus (“place; cause”) and focus (“hearth; fire”), although possibly prompted by misunderstanding the prefix of locomotive (itself from locus) as instead meaning something like self- or auto-. In reference to the NY political faction, derived from the use of locofoco matches to light candles and continue a meeting the rival Tammany Hall faction had attempted to end by killing the meeting place's gaslights. Often folk etymologized to derive from Spanish loco (“crazy”).

Words from the same roots