"physio[g]notrace, 1797; antedates OED3 1822--

Joel S. Berson Berson at ATT.NET
Thu Dec 12 01:21:35 UTC 2013


[I'm confident everyone will be fascinated by this antedating of a
widely used word.  It even antedates the patent -- see OED, 1874
quotation; and is barely 5 years after the French coining -- see OED,
Etymology.]

"PHYSIOGNOTRACE:
Likenesses Engraved.
The Subscribers beg leave to inform their Friends and the Public in
general, that they take and engrave Portraits on an improved plan of
the celebrated Physiognotrace of Paris, and in a style never
introduced before in this country."

Daily Advertiser (New York), 1797 Jan. 28, 3/3.

"Physio[g]notrace" antedates OED3 1822--.

Joel

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