Have you heard of defenestration?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (323722)
Rockingham, Australia
November 17, 2021 11:08pm CST
The only connection between the photo and the text is the window.
My niece’s husband has been researching his family tree and has discovered that one of his relatives died as a result of defenestration. I thought the word would have something to do with windows as the French word for window is ‘fenêtre’
Sure enough, death occurred through falling from a second-storey window and landing on his head.
There are two definitions of ‘defenestration’. One is the action of throwing someone out of a window and the other is an informal meaning as ‘the action or process of dismissing someone from a position of power or authority’. I suppose the term applies to someone falling from a window too.
With his death, the family was without an income and pretty much destined for the poor-house. They didn’t mess around in those days.
20 people like this
18 responses
@BarBaraPrz (45226)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
18 Nov 21
Defenestration is such a lovely, civilised word. Another is exsanguination. In either case, ya gets killeded.
2 people like this
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
18 Nov 21
Yes, I have. Here is an article about The Second Defenestration of Prague (and the ensuing Thirty Years War), which you might find interesting:
By Donald Hempson “Undoubtedly there is something in the Slavic nature which predisposes those of Slavic blood to open a window, and in a liberal spirit and with a large gesture invite an enemy to become an angel without further preparation or a flying mac
1 person likes this
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
18 Nov 21
@JudyEv I was interested in it when I was younger, too. I was the kid who loved the library.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323722)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Nov 21
@wilsongoddard I was always in the library but not so much into history.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
18 Nov 21
Quisling, thrown from that window. yup it is a great word!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323722)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Nov 21
@DocAndersen The trouble is you start forgetting more and more as you get older too.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (168439)
• United States
18 Nov 21
With your kangaroo photo, I thought it was something akin to deforestation.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (72527)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 Nov 21
First time I have heard about such a thing, So sad for that to have happened.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (153180)
• United States
18 Nov 21
I recognized the word since finestra is Italian for window. What a horrible way to die!
1 person likes this
@jefferson126 (3020)
• Shenzhen, China
18 Nov 21
Sorry for the misfortune,I think the former definition of defenstration is applicable to the misfortune.Hope the broken family can resume a normal life soon.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323722)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Nov 21
This happened many years ago to a friend's ancestor. It is not a recent incident.