Q. I know it can be hanging, dimpled, swinging or pregnant, but why on earth is it called a chad?
A. Etymological debate is raging even as you read. Chad was the most looked-up word on merriam-webster.com last Friday. One possible derivation is from chat--small, white pieces of rock produced in lead mining. But what rock and paper have to do with each other (particularly without scissors) is unclear. Another theory, advanced by the New Hacker's Dictionary, is that chad stems from the "Chadless" paper punch, thought to be named after its inventor, that keeps the little pieces off...
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