Language & Words
Etymology, lost words, linguistic curiosities, and fascinating phrases from around the world.
Did You Know?
The word ‘nerd’ first appeared in Dr. Seuss’s book ‘If I Ran the Zoo’ in 1950.
Dr. Seuss invented the word as the name of a grumpy fantasy creature, but it quickly evolved to...
Did You Know?
‘Emoji’ doesn’t come from ’emotion’ but from Japanese words meaning ‘picture letter.’
Despite popular belief, 'emoji' combines the Japanese 'e' (picture) and 'moji' (character), not the English word 'emotion.' This...
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The word ‘testify’ has its roots in ancient Rome, where men swore on their testicles.
In ancient Rome, men would take oaths while holding their testicles, considered a symbol of virility and truthfulness....
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The word ‘berserk’ comes from Norse warriors called ‘berserkers.’
These warriors wore bear ('ber') skins ('serkr') and fought with frenzied violence. Their name became our word for...
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‘Orange’ was a fruit before it was a color.
The word for the color comes from the fruit, not vice versa. Before the fruit became widely known...
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‘Handicap’ originated from a game of chance called ‘hand in cap.’
The game involved trading items and putting forfeit money in a cap. The term later evolved to describe...
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‘Companion’ literally means ‘person you share bread with.’
From Latin 'com' (with) and 'panis' (bread), the word reflects how sharing meals has long been a symbol...
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The word ‘bride’ comes from an ancient word meaning ‘to cook.’
The Proto-Germanic root of 'bride' meant 'to cook,' reflecting historical expectations that a new wife would cook for...
Did You Know?
The shortest complete sentence in English is ‘Go.’
This two-letter command contains both a subject (you, understood) and a verb (go), making it a grammatically complete...