Category: Feature
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The etymological odyssey of “Odysseus”
Tell me, O Muse, of the origin of the name of the man of many devices. And why Latin calls him “Ulysses,” if you don’t mind.
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Semiquincentennial: the origins of an America-sized word
This big word for a big milestone is made up of lots of little Latin roots.
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“Football”: a simple word with striking roots
Cock-threshing. Shrovetide. Hocktide. I-mutations. Grimm’s Law. Octopodes. Pajamas. Private schools, private parts, and the resistance thereof. The origin of “football” has it all. And I go medieval on it.
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Dragged “kicking” and “spurring”—and “spurning”
There is a lot of interesting etymology afoot thanks to sports in summer 2026. Plus, the word “kick” is younger than you think.
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Why are they called the New York “Knicks”?
When it comes to the etymology of the name “Knicks,” Washington Irving is the MVP. But the real MVP? The Dutch.