Tag: Sanskrit

• Lions, chameleons, and shih-tzus, oh my!: 12 “lion” etymologies

  “Liger” is much older than you think. “Tigon” is even older.

  John Kelly

  August 10, 2017

  Feature

• It’s time for another Friday etymological news roundup

  We had a lot of interesting words in the news this week (some more polite than others). Here’s a news review with—what else?—an etymological twist. 

  John Kelly

  July 28, 2017

  Feature

• The root of “jungle”: It’s a desert out there?

  Today in Georgia’s 6th congressional district, a closely watched “jungle primary” is taking place to fill the seat left by Republican Tom Price, who is now the Secretary of Health and Human Services. In a jungle primary, a more colorful name for a blanket primary, all candidates seeking an office run against each other at…

  John Kelly

  April 18, 2017

  Feature

• Etymology of the Day: Litmus

  Litmus, as in litmus test, is just one of those words that looks like it’s from Latin. For one, it ends in -us, a signature case ending in the language. For another, many of us first encounter the word in chemistry class, and science, we know, brims with Latin derivatives. So, why don’t we put…

  John Kelly

  March 22, 2017

  Etymology of the Day

• Etymology of the Day: Pal

  We can use it when we’re trying to get a stranger’s attention in a friendly way. Hey, pal, though you’d want to know you left your lights on. We can also use when it we’re trying to get a stranger’s attention in a not so friendly way. Excuse me, pal, but I was in line…

  John Kelly

  March 1, 2017

  Etymology of the Day