Did You Know?
The word ‘salary’ originally referred to salt allowance.
Roman soldiers received a 'salarium' or salt allowance as part of their pay, as salt was valuable for preserving food. This practice gave us both 'salary' and the phrase 'worth one's salt.'
Did You Know?
The word ‘vanilla’ comes from the Latin word for ‘vagina.’
The vanilla orchid's pod shape led Spanish conquistadors to name it 'vainilla,' meaning 'little vagina.' This anatomical reference...
Did You Know?
The shortest complete Old English word was ‘a’ meaning ‘always’ or ‘forever.’
This single-letter word has been lost from modern English, though we retain many other short Old English words....
Did You Know?
The word ‘gorilla’ comes from an ancient African word meaning ‘hairy person.’
Greek explorer Hanno the Navigator recorded the word from local guides in West Africa around 500 BCE, showing...