Tag: etymology
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How the game of chess and Persian kings gave us the word “check”
Thanks to literal chess moves, the English word “check” ultimately derives from the Persian word for “king.” Plus, a surprising connection to your yoga practice.
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Workplace Word Origins: ask, all hands, staff, touch base, nimble
Shepherds, sailors, and baseball players all make etymological cameos in this compilation of corporate jargon.
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A simple “yes” or “no”? Nope. Not etymologically.
The origins of the words “yes” and “no” are knotty—and “naughty.”
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My bad French makes for good etymology: the origin of “oui”
What begins as a Latin demonstrative pronoun becomes an expression of Frenchness.
Mashed Radish 