Tag Archives: category-origins

  1. Where Did The Name “Spring” Come From?

    So, about that season formerly-known-as lent … Originally, spring was known as lent, or the lenten season, which came from the Old English lengten, which means “to make longer or greater in length.” It is no surprise that the season was originally named after the fact that the days were getting longer. After all, back then natural sunlight and candlelight would have been the only light …

  2. Famous Names That Inspired Common Words

  3. Where Does The Name “Saturday” Come From?

    As the first full day of the weekend in the standard Western work week, Saturday means different things to different people. Freedom from school or work, for some, and the perfect day for parties for others. And then there are those who take the day to do absolutely nothing and not feel guilty about it. Though you’re probably already familiar with the vibes that come …

  4. Where Does “Sunday” Get Its Name From?

    Sunday is the first day of the week, and it’s a day of rest before the start of the typical work week in many Western cultures. For some Christians and Catholics, it’s also the designated day for people to attend religious services in their Sunday best. The English name for Sunday, however, has nothing to do with its importance on the religious calendar. Whereas Wednesday …

  5. image of the moon

    What Is The Origin Of The Name “Monday”?

    Nobody wants to come down with a case of the Mondays. But the second day of the week—and the first day of the traditional work week—doesn’t exactly have the best reputation. Monday isn’t named after an ancient, one-handed Norse god like Tuesday is, and it doesn’t take its name from a powerful god who fashioned the human race like Wednesday does. Monday does, however, reference …

  6. The Holy Reason We Say “Goodbye” And What To Say Instead

    “So long, farewell …” This catchy tune from The Sound of Music is just one of many artistic reflections throughout the years on the ways we say goodbye. And it’s no wonder this parting word and its synonyms have been the subject of much rumination over the years as saying goodbye has become an integral part of our interactions with people, places, and things.  We …

  7. “Ketchup” And Other Words From Mandarin And Cantonese

    Think you only speak English? Think again. While you may not be fluent or able to write in another language, the fact is that English consists largely of words we’ve borrowed from other languages. In fact, about 80 percent of the English language is made up of these loanwords.   It’s amazing really to think of how many languages you speak on a daily basis without …

  8. What Is “GOP” Short For?

    The origins of the Democratic and Republican parties tell an interesting story. They both developed from the same political group, the Democratic–Republicans Party led by Thomas Jefferson in the 1790s and early 1800s. Who knew that these two opposing parties were once on the same side of the political spectrum? One unique part of the Republican Party’s history, however, is its nickname: the GOP. Where …

  9. English Words That Came From Hindi And Urdu

    How many words from Hindi and Urdu do you know? Well, if you’re one of the approximately 70 million speakers of Urdu and 425 million of Hindi, then, well, you know a lot—and that’s only counting native speakers. Millions more speak Urdu and Hindi as a second language all around the globe, making them, combined, one of the most spoken languages.  But even if you …

  10. These Wacky Words Originated In The USA

  11. These Common Words Have Offensive Histories

  12. blue background with pixel people, a pixel man and woman holding hands

    The Oldest Words In The English Language