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”?

Who Is Wednesday Named For?

Language Stories

Made-up Words Said By The People In Charge

Ghost Words That Are Haunting The Dictionary

Language Stories

Why Is Thursday Named For A Comic Book Character?

Which Words Did English Take From Other Languages?

What’s The Origin Of The F-word?

Is Friday Named After A Goddess With A Chariot Pulled...

English Words From The Pharaohs

Are New Idioms Ever Created?

Foxy, Catty, Fishy: Traits for Animals or Humans?

Villainous Pets We Love To Hate

The Original Memes (Before Memes)

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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!