7 Words and Idioms Having Fascinating Etymology
The stories that make these words
I read a lot. On most days, I’ll be spending at least two hours reading. And when you read so much, you are going to come across many words that pull you into their past.
Sometimes, I’ll get so engrossed in the word’s etymology, I’ll spend more time reading about the word, than the original article where I found it. Some stories are so mouthwatering that uncovering their mysteries makes me feel like a kid unwrapping his favorite candy.
Not only do I find this activity enjoyable, but it also helps me in understanding the true usage of the word. Sometimes, however, as you will see, it doesn’t. Many words have metamorphosed into something different from what they were meant for originally.
It’s nice to see how the meaning of words has changed.
Since it’s so nice, why not start with the word “nice” then?
Nice
Meaning: Giving pleasure or satisfaction; pleasant or attractive.
I bet after knowing the original meaning of this word you will not use it anymore. This word was a part of my everyday lexicon. Along with good and great, nice used to sit well in keeping responses short and sweet.
But the word has Latin origins, which meant ignorant, not knowing.
Its journey to its current meaning has been nothing short of extraordinary.
From its original meaning of ignorant, it was then used as a synonym for fussy or fastidious. Then around the 1400s, it was associated with delicate, 1500s to precise, careful, 1700s to delightful, to kind, thoughtful in the 1800s, and now to pleasant or agreeable.
Who knows what it’s going to mean in the future?
So be nice. You never know when its meaning will change to something that’s not nice.
Throwing the baby with the bathwater
Meaning: to remove something good in the bid of getting rid of something bad.
Now let’s talk about something that’s not nice.
The expression is as abominable as it sounds. In the 1500s, people didn’t bathe for…
