blinkered (adj) - having a limited or narrow perspective; unable to take a broad view of things; wearing blinders [bling-kerd]
blinkers are part of horse harness and tack which limits a horse’s field of vision (also blinders or blinds)
a blinker is also someone who blinks or a turn signal on a vehicle
BREAKDOWN: The use of the word blinkered, both literally for horses and figuratively for people, dates back to the 1800s. The words blinkers and blinders originated in the 1500s to describe the various mechanisms employed to keep a horse from seeing objects at its sides. Blind and blink appear to share a common root: BLE- meaning to shine or burn.
See also: Animal Etymology: Horse Words
“The travel writer, looking back at the journey from a distance of a year or two (or three), is a different character from the hapless character who undertook the trip: wise after the event, with the leisure to tease out meanings from the experience that the distracted traveler never had, and often impatient with his alter ego’s blinkered and unsatisfactory version of things.” —Jonathan Raban
[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classic roots.]