Every word we use carries with it layers of history and culture that shape its meaning and usage today. Often, the words flowing effortlessly from our mouths have origins that are both fascinating and ...

Before we used the internet, these words meant something else entirely. Read on to learn the original meaning of 10 everyday ...

Have you ever wondered where all the weird words in English come from? For example, when someone refers to the presence of small children as "hearing the pitter-patter of little feet" — where on earth ...

While serendipity has often been associated with luck or happy accidents, its origin suggests that it goes beyond just ...

Etymology is the study of the origins of words and how their usage has changed over time. It's every bit the serious academic discipline you might expect it to be — except when it's not. As it turns ...

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them. Well, “comrade,” I bet you always thought that word comes ...

First in a series of occasional short takes on unusual courses in local schools. For a few hours every other afternoon, Latin and Greek roots rain on Phil Rosenthal's etymology class at Park View High ...

The word "church" in common language has many meanings depending on the context. This is the story ... Origin of the English ...

Otherwords is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio ...

While countries in northern Africa use different terms, in South Africa and surrounding areas, “dagga” is commonly used to describe cannabis. Dagga is the Afrikaans word for cannabis that became ...