Pogonotrophy: Shashi Tharoor's new word a dig at Modi's beard

It is no surprise that senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor loves to use uncommon English words. So, when a Twitter user reached out to him asking him to share a new word, the logophile in him couldn’t keep his excitement at bay.

“Sir, apart from your articulate speeches, I’m waiting for some new word to learn. It’s always great to tickle your mind with an out of the box word!” said Dr Priya Anand, in a comment under one of Tharoor’s tweets.

Tharoor agreed and shared a word — pogonotrophy — which he learnt from his economist friend. He explained that it meant ‘the cultivation of a beard’.

To make sure his followers understand the word clearly, Tharoor went on to provide an example in good humour. “As in, the PM’s pogonotrophy has been a pandemic preoccupation,” said Tharoor in a tweet.

The tweet quickly gained traction online, with many appreciating the Congress MP’s wit.
However, this is not the first time Tharoor has introduced a word while referencing PM Narendra Modi. A month ago, he used the word ‘floccinaucinihilipilification’, a 29-letter word, he referred to while introducing his new book: ‘The Paradoxical Prime Minister’.

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He used the tongue-twister once again, all in good faith, in his banter with TRS working president KTR over COVID-19 medicine names.