did seth godin invent this word?
late 14c., from M.E. lins "axletree" (from O.E. lynis, from P.Gmc. *luniso) + pin. The peg that holds a wheel on an axle; now mainly figurative.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=linchpin
1. essential element: somebody or something that is an essential element in the success of something such as a team or a plot
2. pin to stop wheel coming off: a pin placed crosswise through an axle to prevent a wheel from coming off
[14th century. < obsolete linch "linchpin" < Ancient English lynis]
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1861698660
▸ noun: pin inserted through an axletree to hold a wheel on
▸ noun: a central cohesive source of support and stability ("He is the linchpin of this firm")
Mail this post
yes Seth did invent this word
References :
Something that holds everything else together. The component on which everything else depends.
See:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linchpin
Seth Godin must be getting on a bit if he invented the word…
References :
A linchpin is a piece of wood or metal that is inserted through the end of an axle to keep the wheel on.
References :
literally it means:
is a fastener used to prevent a wheel or other rotating part from sliding off the axle it is riding on
but it’s been adapted to mean:
a person or thing that is critical to a system or organization
which makes sense with the content of the book.
References :
late 14c., from M.E. lins "axletree" (from O.E. lynis, from P.Gmc. *luniso) + pin. The peg that holds a wheel on an axle; now mainly figurative.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=linchpin
1. essential element: somebody or something that is an essential element in the success of something such as a team or a plot
2. pin to stop wheel coming off: a pin placed crosswise through an axle to prevent a wheel from coming off
[14th century. < obsolete linch "linchpin" < Ancient English lynis]
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1861698660
▸ noun: pin inserted through an axletree to hold a wheel on
▸ noun: a central cohesive source of support and stability ("He is the linchpin of this firm")
References :
Mr. Godin did not invent the word unless he was born in the 14th Century or came up with some special metal implement to hold the axletree and wheel together to secure them. The vital thing here is not who uses the word but the essence of what it means and the figurative understanding of it as a means, an essential element or something necessary, for the purpose of holding a company, organization or thought or plot together.