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Mashed Radish

Mashed Radish

Etymology at the intersection of news, life, and everyday language.

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  • The 2025 Etymology of the Year

    The 2025 Etymology of the Year

    “Fascism” is a challenging word for a challenging moment, and its origins may bear lessons for us. Read more.

    John Kelly
    November 4, 2025
    Etymology of the Year

  • Workplace Word Origins: jargon, milestone, sesquipedalian, benchmark, team

    Workplace Word Origins: jargon, milestone, sesquipedalian, benchmark, team

    Can’t stand jargon? Blame it on the birds! Read more.

    John Kelly
    October 27, 2025
    Workplace Word Origins

  • Newsy etymology, animals edition: frog, bunny, squirrel, blue jay

    Newsy etymology, animals edition: frog, bunny, squirrel, blue jay

    “Bunny” was originally “squirrel,” and “squirrel” was originally … “shadow tail”?! Read more.

    John Kelly
    October 22, 2025
    Feature

  • The bemusing etymological muse of “calliope”

    The bemusing etymological muse of “calliope”

    The calliope makes a music perhaps out of tune with its literal roots. Read more.

    John Kelly
    October 15, 2025
    Feature

  • 2025 Punctuation Mark of the Year

    2025 Punctuation Mark of the Year

    The em dash (—) straddles clauses—and urgent conversations about humanity and technology in 2025. Read more.

    John Kelly
    September 24, 2025
    Feature

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Mashed Radish

Mashed Radish

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