cant
UK[kænt]US[kænt]
n
Insincere talk about moral or religious principles; hypocritical and sanctimonious language.
n
The specialized vocabulary or jargon of a particular group or profession.
n
A slope or tilt.
v
To talk hypocritically or sanctimoniously.
v
To tilt or slope.
Etymology
The word 'cant' presents a fascinating case of etymological convergence. Its most common modern meaning, denoting hypocritical or pious jargon, traces back to the Latin 'cantare', meaning 'to sing', via Old French 'chanter'. This reflects the rhythmic, singsong delivery of beggars' pleas and later of repetitive religious exhortations. A separate, Germanic lineage gives us the 'cant' meaning 'slope' or 'tilt', likely from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German 'kant', meaning 'edge' or 'corner'. The journey of the first 'cant' illustrates how a neutral term for singing ('cantare') specialized to describe a particular, often insincere, mode of speech, while the second represents a straightforward borrowing of a concrete spatial term.
Analysis
The word 'cant' is a simplex word. It entered English as a loanword with multiple, distinct etymological paths converging on the same form. Its primary senses relating to insincere speech derive from Latin via Old French, while its sense meaning 'slope' is of Germanic origin.
Examples
His speech was full of moralistic cant that failed to convince the audience.
The thieves conversed in their own cant, using words unfamiliar to the police.
The carpenter carefully measured the cant of the roof beam.