chirio
n.— «For instance, the thing that frightens cats as it sucks dirt from the carpet? In Spanglish, it’s a bacunclíner. Breakfast cereal of any sort: confley or sometimes, chirio. A job of less than 40 hours is un partain, perhaps at Berguerquín.» —“Is this our creole?” by Rick Stone Sun-Sentinel (Florida) Dec. 26, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Secret signals on the job: Waitresses at some 19th-century restaurants ensured speedy drink service by communicating with a non-verbal code. One server took orders, then placed each customer’s cup to indicate exactly what the customer wanted...
Zack in Tallahassee, Florida, wonders: Why do we use the name John Doe to refer to someone anonymous or unknown? The names John Doe and Richard Roe go back to at least the 1300s, when they were used in land-related legal matters as pseudonyms for...