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Pulling “rabbit” out of the etymological hat
Christianity, in many ways, originates with Easter: Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead is a cornerstone of the faith. The Easter Bunny, most maintain, originates in German folklore involving a rabbit that delivered colored eggs to good little girls and boys. And the holiday’s bunnies, chicks, and eggs, of course, have longed served as symbols Read more.
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Whales, antelopes, monsters, & pigs: a deep dive into the many names for the orca
This week, Sea World announced that it’s ending its controversial captive orca breeding program. Orca, killer whale, blackfish: this inspiring cetacean has known many names in English. Let’s take a deep dive into their origins. Orca Popularly, the orca goes by the “killer whale,” which has been in use, often just as “killer” early on, since the 1720s. In Read more.
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Four-leaf etymologies: slew
A good etymology is like finding a four-leaf clover. So often, we stroll through words as if through a field of common trefoil. But sometimes, for reasons I don’t think any of us wholly understand, we chance upon something special hidden in the otherwise ordinary green. This happened to me for the word slew. I think Read more.
Mashed Radish 