Annie's Origin of Words and Phrases
"Mad as a Hatter"
#etymology, #wordorigins, #linguistics, #languagehistory, #wordnerd

On the Whole Etymology of the Hole in Skin: Wound, Ulcer & a Dinner in Bremen with Sicco Bus #DiabeticFoot #Etymology #LimbPreservation diabeticfootonline.c...

I wonder when "tomfoolery" emerged as a term, & why specifically people began to include the "tom" prefix?

#English #Dictionary #Vocabulary #Language #Etymology #History

Parthenophobia - Fear of young girls or virgins. From the Ancient Greek words parthenos (meaning "virgin") and phobos (meaning "fear"). #phobia #grammar #grammardiva #wordoftheday #etymology #virgins

From “idiot” to “intellectual disability” isn’t just about avoiding offence.

The changes in terminology also signal changes in medical approach.

#linguistics #etymology #DisabilityHistory #psychology #learnontiktok

Comfort: From Old French conforter (“to strengthen, console”), from Latin confortare (“to strengthen greatly”).

#etymology

AKA:
•CHESSYLITE mine location in Lyons France
•AZUR SPAR
•MOUNTAIN BLUE
•KUANOS (Greek deep Blue) Caeruleum (latin)
referred to by Pliny the Elder.
#MineralMonday
#Azurite
#Etymology
MinCup26

For more information check-out @mineralcup.bsky.social
Anyone can vote & play. Anyone! Have some 😁

Ok an #Etymology lesson on #Azurite
#MinCup26
◇Persian origin: lazhward
◇Arabic adaptation: lazward or lazura
◇Medievil lazurium or azur
◇Modern day ite applied by Francois Sulpite Beudant in 1824

AKA:
•CHESSYLITE mine location in Lyons France
•AZUR SPAR
•MOUNTAIN BLUE
Continued1/2

Fun fact: the native Old and Middle English word for "niece" was "nift". If that word had survived into Modern English, I could affectionately call my niece my "nifty"!

#diminutive #etymology #linguistics

My latest #etymology column is about the ones we get wrong. www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/09/in-a...

Omphalophobia - Fear of the belly button. From the Ancient Greek Omphalos (ὀμφαλός), navel. It also historically referred to a rounded stone representing the center or navel of the earth (such as the Omphalos at Delphi). #grammar #grammardiva #etymology #wordoftheday #phobia

How firelight may have shaped the origins of spoken language
theconversation.com/how-fireligh...
via @theconversation.com
#history #language #etymology #langsky

Wordle 1,916 4/6

⬜⬜🟨🟩🟨
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩early 15c. name of letter in alphabet, sometimes used to indicate a sentence of death.

#etymology

Success: From Latin successus (“advance, good result”), from succedere (“to come after”).

#etymology

The surprisingly connected origins of "robot" and "orphan".

#etymology #wordnerd #linguistics #HistoricalLinguistics #language #words #lingcomm #robot #orphan
youtube.com/shorts/gBbdR...

The surprisingly connected origins of "robot" and "orphan".

#etymology #wordnerd #linguistics #HistoricalLinguistics #language #words #lingcomm #robot #orphan
youtube.com/shorts/gBbdR...

Hyalophobia - A fear of glass, from the Greek hyalos (glass). Also known as nelophobia, a modern pseudo-classical coinage rather than an authentic ancient Greek derivation. #grammar #grammardiva #etymology #phobia #wordoftheday

marmalade

#etymology #language #wordorigins

I'll be on LMFM today at 12:30, chatting with Orlaith Carmody about the history of words. This month we're nattering about abecederian, avocado, escalator, uthceare, and our mystery word is collywoggle. Don't worry, I'll explain how to pronounce them all! Listen live or online at lmfm.ie. #etymology

Wordle 1,915 5/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨
⬜⬜🟨⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩this useage 1717, though word dates from late 13c, perhaps from unrecorded Old English word.

Has Norwegian and Swedish cognates.

#etymology