chad
UK[tʃæd]US[tʃæd]
n
A small piece of paper or cardboard produced when a hole is punched in paper or a card.
n
A piece of waste material removed from a piece of work by a cutting tool.
Etymology
The origin of the word 'chad' is obscure and debated. It emerged as American slang in the mid-20th century, likely within industrial or office contexts where paper-punching was common. One plausible theory suggests it is an arbitrary formation, perhaps imitative of the sound or action of a punch creating a small scrap. Its journey from an obscure technical term to a word of global recognition was dramatically accelerated by the 2000 U.S. presidential election controversy, where "hanging chads" on punch-card ballots became a central focus.
Analysis
The word is a simplex. It is an English slang term of unknown, possibly imitative or arbitrary, origin.
Examples
The old punch card machine was surrounded by a pile of paper chads.
During the recount, every ballot with a hanging chad was carefully examined.
The machinist cleared the metal chads from the lathe's cutting area.