τεμπεσίρι

Greek

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish تباشیر (tebeşir, “chalk”), itself from Persian تباشیر (tebâšir, “chalk, clay; bamboo sugar”), ultimately from Hindi तबाशीर (tabāśīr, “tabasheer; bamboo manna”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /te.beˈsi.ɾi/
• Hyphenation: τε‧μπε‧σί‧ρι

Noun

τεμπεσίρι • (tempesíri) n (plural τεμπεσίρια)

1. a piece of chalk used for writing on a blackboard (dated)

   Synonym: κιμωλία (kimolía)

2. cue chalk used in billiards
3. (informal) the act of buying on credit

   Synonym: βερεσέ (veresé)

Usage notes

The literal meaning borrowed from Ottoman Turkish "chalk" is used commonly in reference to billiard cue chalk only. The figurative sense of "buying on credit" is also in use and originates from the custom of shopkeepers keeping track of items bought on credit with a chalk and blackboard; when used in that sense, the noun is uncountable.

Declension

Declension of τεμπεσίρι

	singular	plural
nominative	τεμπεσίρι •	τεμπεσίρια •
genitive	τεμπεσιριού •	τεμπεσιριών •
accusative	τεμπεσίρι •	τεμπεσίρια •
vocative	τεμπεσίρι •	τεμπεσίρια •
The plural forms are used only for the literal meaning of "chalk, cue chalk".

Derived terms

• γράφω τεμπεσίρι (gráfo tempesíri, “to not care about something that has been lent or is owed”) (literally: "to write (with) chalk")
• έχω την πλάκα, έχω και το τεμπεσίρι (écho tin pláka, écho kai to tempesíri, “to have all tools necessary for an activity, usually one carried out with proficiency”) (literally: "to have the blackboard and to have the chalk, too")

Further reading

• τεμπεσίρι, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language