Feast on the bounty of these seasonal word origins. Artichoke Artichoke ultimately comes from the Arabic al-harshuf, ...

From the Old English verb slean, slay originally meant to kill or destroy (think slaying a dragon). In slang, slay means to dominate, look amazing or absolutely crush it—whether on a stage, on a ...

The word "deadline" has been used a lot in reference to tariffs. It got us thinking: what is the origin of the word? NPR's Scott Simon talks with Benjamin Dreyer, author of "Dreyer's English." The ...

They're known as man's best friends, fur babies, pooches. But the most widely used word for these beloved animals — "dog" — is also a great linguistic mystery. "The most everyday, commonplace words ...

"Gerrymander," "blue states," and "red tape." These words populate headlines and newspaper articles regularly, with many writers taking their meaning for granted, but a look through history can reveal ...

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 ...

Join us as we try to figure out how our body parts got their names. Body parts would probably have been one of the first things that ancient peoples gave names to, so not only do we find hundreds of ...

Frauds, swindles, cons, scams, and deceptions are collectively known as hoaxes. But there's more than meets the eye.

Francesco Perono Cacciafoco does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant ...

Collage with hands holding megaphone and showing political placards. “Gerrymander,” “blue states,” and “red tape.” These words populate headlines and newspaper articles regularly, with many writers ...

The study of word origins (that is, etymology) is every bit the serious academic discipline you might expect it to be — except when it's not. As it turns out, people have a propensity to make false ...

(Stacker) - “blue states,” and “red tape.” These words populate headlines and newspaper articles regularly, with many writers taking their meaning for granted, but a look through history can reveal ...