Etymology
BALD CHAUVINISTS
When I think of the word chauvinism, I immediately associate it with sexism, although it can also refer to biased support for any group. Historically, it was linked to…
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Latest Etymology
PECUNIA NON OLET
In France, the word for "public urinal" is vespasienne, and this has a fascinating origin story. Originally known as colonnes Rambuteau after…
NOT CHASTE
The term incest has its origins in Middle English, where it first appeared in a thirteenth-century guide on living…
A BUNK ETYMOLOGY
The term bunk has two distinct meanings: a "type of bed" and "nonsense". The origin of the "type of…
ORIENT TO THE EAST
The term orient (sometimes spelled oryente, oriente, orientst, orien, or oriyenst in earlier times) originated from the French word…
NIGHT INCUBUS
Nightmares occur at night, but what does the mare part mean? The word (probably modeled after similar examples in…
TO HAVE A MASH
The concept of having a "crush" on someone dates back to the 14th century, with early spellings like "cruschen"…
DELUSIONS OF PRESTIGE
The Netflix documentary Operation Varsity Blues explores the fascinating etymology of the word "prestige". Originally, in the seventeenth century,…
COW PASSAGE
The origin of the Bosphorus name, the important strait connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, is quite interesting.…