15 English Words And Their Mind-Blowing Origins
There are literally millions of words in existence, and English words
alone can sum up to a quarter million and still growing. But are you
aware that some of the words you are using now have deeper meanings in
the past? Like how disaster is a reference to the stars, and how
hysteria used to only refer to women? Find out more!
From the Latin word Sinistra meaning Left. Why is the word “left” so attached to such a sinister meaning? Well, centuries ago, being left-handed is frowned upon by many people. They attribute the rare case of left-handedness to the works of evil. This is true across several religions and traditions.
Currently, it is estimated that 10% of the world’s population is left-handed. So many evil people!
From the Latin word Privilegium which means “Private Law”. A privilege is a right that is gained from birth. Perhaps this idea of private law is the reason why the world has certain classes. You know, slaves, monarchs, and ordinary loyal subjects. Once a monarch, always a monarch. Which also gives rise to the saying, “born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth”.
From the Persian term Shah Mat meaning “the King is dead”.
Goodbye is a contraction of the phrase “God be with you”. Similar instances of attributing a farewell term with God can be seen in Spanish, Adios.
Northward, eastward, southward, westward, awkward? I bet it didn’t occur to you that the word awkward is supposed to be a direction! Actually, it is in its basic sense it means “in the wrong direction”.
From the Greek word Nostos meaning “Home Coming” and Algos meaning “pain” or “suffering”. Combine the two and you have “the pain of returning home” or “pain of looking back”.
From the word Persona meaning “mask”. Originally pertains to theatrical masks, which has different characters in a play. The word mainly suggests that everyone is wearing a mask, that the outside appearance is not really what it appears to be.
Dis meaning bad and Aster meaning Star. Put them together and you get “Bad Star”. Who are the people that speaks of disasters to come? The oracles and astrologers! By looking at the stars they can tell whether the planetary and stars’ alignment mean trouble or fortune.
Literally means “from the womb”. The Greek word Hystera means “uterus”. But how come hysteria means how we know it today? It was believed that a sudden outburst of emotion is only limited to women, but they didn’t only know that women are just simply emotional.
Comes from the Norse words vina and auga which means “the wind’s eye”.
Fourteen nights. Two weeks. Commonly seen on books like A Song of Ice and Fire and Lord of The Rings. There are many instances of contracted words like this, such as beyond from be yonder and breakfast from break your fast.
Derived from the Roman goddess Ceres, the goddess of agriculture and crops. So, the next time you eat your Coco Crunch be sure to thank Ceres!
From the Latin word Dis meaning “the opposite of” and Cooperire meaning “to cover”.
Dis and Gusta, like in the meme-popularized Spanish phrase Me Gusta.
From the Arabic word Al-kimiya which was derived from the Greek word Chemia. Before the chemists there were the alchemists, and over the years the word and concept shifted from occultism to science.
1. Sinister
From the Latin word Sinistra meaning Left. Why is the word “left” so attached to such a sinister meaning? Well, centuries ago, being left-handed is frowned upon by many people. They attribute the rare case of left-handedness to the works of evil. This is true across several religions and traditions.
Currently, it is estimated that 10% of the world’s population is left-handed. So many evil people!
2. Privilege
From the Latin word Privilegium which means “Private Law”. A privilege is a right that is gained from birth. Perhaps this idea of private law is the reason why the world has certain classes. You know, slaves, monarchs, and ordinary loyal subjects. Once a monarch, always a monarch. Which also gives rise to the saying, “born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth”.
3. Checkmate
From the Persian term Shah Mat meaning “the King is dead”.
4. Goodbye
Goodbye is a contraction of the phrase “God be with you”. Similar instances of attributing a farewell term with God can be seen in Spanish, Adios.
5. Awkward
Northward, eastward, southward, westward, awkward? I bet it didn’t occur to you that the word awkward is supposed to be a direction! Actually, it is in its basic sense it means “in the wrong direction”.
6. Nostalgia
From the Greek word Nostos meaning “Home Coming” and Algos meaning “pain” or “suffering”. Combine the two and you have “the pain of returning home” or “pain of looking back”.
7. Person
From the word Persona meaning “mask”. Originally pertains to theatrical masks, which has different characters in a play. The word mainly suggests that everyone is wearing a mask, that the outside appearance is not really what it appears to be.
8. Disaster
Dis meaning bad and Aster meaning Star. Put them together and you get “Bad Star”. Who are the people that speaks of disasters to come? The oracles and astrologers! By looking at the stars they can tell whether the planetary and stars’ alignment mean trouble or fortune.
9. Hysteria
Literally means “from the womb”. The Greek word Hystera means “uterus”. But how come hysteria means how we know it today? It was believed that a sudden outburst of emotion is only limited to women, but they didn’t only know that women are just simply emotional.
10. Window
Comes from the Norse words vina and auga which means “the wind’s eye”.
11. Fortnight
Fourteen nights. Two weeks. Commonly seen on books like A Song of Ice and Fire and Lord of The Rings. There are many instances of contracted words like this, such as beyond from be yonder and breakfast from break your fast.
12. Cereal
Derived from the Roman goddess Ceres, the goddess of agriculture and crops. So, the next time you eat your Coco Crunch be sure to thank Ceres!
13. Discover
From the Latin word Dis meaning “the opposite of” and Cooperire meaning “to cover”.
14. Disgust
Dis and Gusta, like in the meme-popularized Spanish phrase Me Gusta.
15. Chemistry
From the Arabic word Al-kimiya which was derived from the Greek word Chemia. Before the chemists there were the alchemists, and over the years the word and concept shifted from occultism to science.
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