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A.Word.A.Day--banana republic

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banana republic (buh-NAN-uh ri-PUB-lik) noun

A small country, typically in central America, often run by a dictator, where the economy is dependent upon fruit exports, tourism, etc .

"Argentina has spent the past 50 years manically see-sawing from bust to boom and bust again, from properly elected governments to military coups and banana republic dictatorships." John Carlin, How Viveza Brought Down a Nation, New Statesman (London), Jan 14, 2002.

This week's theme: terms with origins in food.

X-Bonus

People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea , at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering. -Saint Augustine (354-430)

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