Word Origins

Some of our English words have very unique and surprising origins. Find out where some of your favorite words came from.

Why Do We Say “Trick or Treat”?

What Did The Word “Nice” Use To Mean?

Thank Your Babushka For These 8 Russian Loanwords In English

Language Stories

Where Does The Phrase “Cut The Mustard” Come From?

10 Words Coined In The Sci-Fi Universe

Science & Technology

Did You Know How This Word Was Formed?

Language Stories

Words You Didn’t Know Were Inspired By Animals

Language Stories

Words You Didn’t Know Came From Los Angeles

Words You Didn’t Know Came From Chicago

These Plain Words Have Very Odd Origin Stories

The Oldest Abbreviations In English

Before X Was X: The Dark Horse Story of the...

Old School Latin Phrases We’re Still Using In Everyday English

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Where Does The Name "Saturday" Come From?

Got the fever to know more about how Saturday got its name? This article has everything you need to know about the merriest day of the week.

Discover the origin here.

Discover The Origins Of These Cooking Tool Names

Don't let scrumptious food pass you by—learn the names and origins of these frequently used cooking tools and dishes.

Savor these word origins now!

English Words That Came From Hindi And Urdu

If you're reading this in your pajamas, you have the Hindi and Urdu languages to thank for that word, and for many more than you realize.

Drink up these words!