Did You Know?
The word ‘dunce’ comes from a brilliant philosopher’s name.
John Duns Scotus was a respected medieval theologian whose followers were called Dunsmen. When their ideas fell out of favor during the Renaissance, 'dunce' became an insult, showing how words can dramatically reverse meaning over time.
Did You Know?
‘Sarcophagus’ literally means ‘flesh-eating’ in Greek.
Early stone coffins were made from limestone thought to decompose bodies quickly. The term combines 'sarx' (flesh) and...
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‘Disaster’ literally means ‘bad star’ in Greek.
Combining 'dis' (bad) and 'aster' (star), the word reflects ancient beliefs that celestial events influenced earthly misfortunes. This...
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‘Girl’ was originally a gender-neutral term for a young person.
Until about 1500, 'girl' could refer to a child of either sex. 'Boy' similarly started as a gender-neutral...