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   Cant

   /kant/

   

   noun

   • 1. hypocritical and sanctimonious talk, typically of a moral, religious, or political nature: "he had no time for the cant of the priests about sin" Similar hypocrisysanctimoniousnesssanctimonyhumbugpietismaffected pietyinsincerityshamlip serviceempty talkpretenserare:PharisaismTartufferieOpposite sincerity
   • 2. language peculiar to a specified group or profession and regarded with disparagement: "thieves' cant" Similar slangjargonidiomargotpatterpatoisvernacularspeechterminologylanguageinformal:lingo-speak-ese
   • ▪ denoting a phrase or catchword temporarily current or in fashion: "they are misrepresented as, in the cant word of our day, uncaring"

   verb

   • 1. talk hypocritically and sanctimoniously about something: dated "if they'd stop canting about “honest work,” they might get somewhere"

   Word Origin early 16th century: probably from Latin cantare ‘to sing’ (see chant). The early meaning was ‘musical sound, singing’; in the mid 17th century this gave rise to the senses ‘whining manner of speaking’ and ‘form of words repeated mechanically in such a manner’ (for example a beggar's plea), hence ‘jargon’ (of beggars and other such groups).

   Scrabble Points: 6

   • C

     3

   • A

     1

   • N

     1

   • T

     1

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