pantechnicon

pantechnicon
\ \ [19] The original Pantechnicon was a huge complex of warehouses, wine vaults, and other storage facilities in Motcomb Street, in London’s Belgravia. Built in 1830 and supposed to be fireproof, it was almost totally destroyed by fire in 1874. It seems originally to have been intended to be a bazaar, and its name was coined from the prefix pan- ‘all’ and Greek tekhnikón, the neuter form of tekhnikósartistic’, denoting that all sorts of manufactured wares were to be bought there. But it was its role as a furniture repository that brought it into the general language. Removal vans taking furniture there came to be known as pantechnicon vans, and by the 1890s pantechnicon was a generic term for ‘removal vans’.
\ \ Cf.ARCHITECT, TECHNICAL

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Pantechnicon — is an old British word for a furniture warehouse removal van. The original Pantechnicon, founded in 1830, was a craft shop or bazaar, in Motcomb Street in Belgravia, London. The name is Greek for pertaining to all the arts or crafts . The shop… …   Wikipedia

  • pantechnicon — [pan tek′ni kän΄] n. [ PAN + Gr technikon (neut. adj.), of the arts < technē, art: see TECHNIC] Brit. 1. a bazaar where all kinds of things were sold 2. a warehouse 3. a furniture van: also pantechnicon van …   English World dictionary

  • Pantechnicon — Pan*tech ni*con, n. [NL. See {Pan }, and {Technic}.] A depository or place where all sorts of manufactured articles are collected for sale. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pantechnicon — ► NOUN Brit. ▪ a large van for transporting furniture. ORIGIN from Greek pan all + tekhnikon piece of art , originally the name of a London bazaar selling artistic work, later converted into a furniture warehouse …   English terms dictionary

  • pantechnicon — [19] The original Pantechnicon was a huge complex of warehouses, wine vaults, and other storage facilities in Motcomb Street, in London’s Belgravia. Built in 1830 and supposed to be fireproof, it was almost totally destroyed by fire in 1874. It… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • pantechnicon — noun Etymology: short for pantechnicon van, from pantechnicon storage warehouse Date: 1891 British van III,1 …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • pantechnicon — /pan tek ni kon , keuhn/, n. Brit. a furniture van; moving van. Also called pantechnicon van. [1820 30; PAN + Gk technikón artistic, skillful (neut. of technikós); see TECHNIC] * * * …   Universalium

  • Pantechnicon eZine — Pantechnicon is a quarterly science fiction, fantasy and horror eZine.It first appeared in 2006 edited by Trudi Topham and Andy Frankham. Frankham stepped down in 2007, and Alasdair Stuart now co edits it with Trudi Topham.It publishes science… …   Wikipedia

  • Pantechnicon van — This article deals with the horse drawn vehicle. For the modern equivalent, find Pantechnicon in the Truck article.A Pantechnicon van, currently usually shortened to Pantechnicon, was originally a van drawn by horses and used by The Pantechnicon… …   Wikipedia

  • pantechnicon — noun a) A depository or place where all sorts of manufactured articles are collected for sale. b) An eclectic collection …   Wiktionary

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