Words at Play : 10 Words That Are Older Than You Might Think
Earliest Known Usage:
1795
Example:
"But death, irregardless of tenderest ties, Resolv'd the good Betty, at length, to bereave" – Anonymous, "The Old Woman and her Tabby," Charleston (South Carolina) City Gazette, 1795, June 23
About the Word:
We tend to think of irregardless as a recent coinage. Some might even claim it's a sign of the modern decline of both manners and language. But the earliest evidence of the word's use is from 1795, when George Washington was still president. It was used in a poem printed in the Charleston City Gazette, titled "The Old Woman and her Tabby," and can also be found in consistent use throughout the entire 19th century.
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