PHILOPENA


Meaning of PHILOPENA in English

noun

or phil·ip·pi·na ˌfiləˈpēnə ; or phil·ip·pine -ēn

( -s )

Etymology: modification (influenced by Greek philos loving and Latin poena penalty) of German vielliebchen, literally, much loved; perhaps from the idea that the gift was a penalty of friendship or love — more at pain

1. : a game in which a man and woman who have shared the twin kernels of a nut each try to claim a gift from the other as a forfeit at their next meeting by fulfilling certain conditions (as by being the first to exclaim “philopena”) — called also fillipeen

2.

a. : a nut with two kernels

b. : a gift given as a forfeit

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.