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- Dunce. The origins of this derogatory word for someone considered incapable of learning (the opposite of a “bright” student) are surprisingly old, dating to the time of one John Duns Scotus, who was born around 1266 and died in 1308.
- Quiz. The story behind the origins of the word “quiz” is so good that we really wish it was true – but it probably isn’t. Legend has it that a Dublin theatre-owner made a bet that he could introduce a new word into the English language within a day or two (the amount of time differs in different tellings of the story), and that the people of Dublin would make up the meaning of the word themselves.
- Berserk. When someone “goes berserk”, they go into a frenzy, run amok, perhaps even destroying things. Picture someone going berserk and it’s not difficult to imagine the ancient Norse warriors to whom the word “berserker” originally referred.
- Nightmare. It sounds as though it refers to a female horse, but in fact the “mare” part of the word “nightmare” (a terrifying dream) comes from Germanic folklore, in which a “mare” is an evil female spirit or goblin that sits upon a sleeper’s chest, suffocating them and/or giving them bad dreams.
Click a sentence to see alternatives. Learn more. Google's service, offered free of charge, instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.
Dec 18, 2015 · The earliest example of the word LOVE in English can be found in the 1100's, represented by the Old English word "lēof". So, in English, your estimate of medieval times is quite accurate. It was probably first uttered out loud by a cave-man in his attempt to get a cave-woman to agree to have ... with him, which would have been the day ...
Nov 1, 2023 · What is the Origin of the Word “Love”? The word “love” can be traced back to the Old English word “lufu,” which itself derived from the Proto-Germanic word “lubō.” The Proto-Germanic term shares cognates with other European languages such as German “liebe” and Dutch “liefde.”
Combining both accessibility and authority, The Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins describes the origins and development of over 3,000 words and phrases in the English language.
Feb 14, 2020 · "I love you" can mean "I love how you make me feel." That's common when a person speaks from the narcissistic position of the psyche. By contrast, when a person speaks from a more...
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Most English words have known etymologies (word histories) that linguists have established and refined over time. Tracing a word back to its earliest recoverable form often involves uncovering several chronological layers.
