This episode uncovers supposed origins of well-known superstitions, along with the histories of the words tied to them. One story suggests the tradition of hanging a horseshoe above a door for good luck stems from a run-in with the devil, while the belief that breaking a mirror brings bad luck may go back to Roman ideas about reflections revealing the soul. Learn why the number 13 came to be feared, and why 666 might not be as ominous as is often thought. Also traced are the etymologies of words like talisman, charm, folklore and the phrase old wives' tales.
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15:31
82. Fish & Chips | Who Smarted: Who Invented Ketchup?
This time, we're taking a deep-fried dive into the origins of words tied to fish and chips, the beloved British dish dating back to the 19th century. Discover how 'fish' follows the same linguistic pattern as 'foot' and 'ford' with their Latin derived counterparts starting with 'P' - pescare, piede and port. Learn about the history behind abstaining from meat on Fridays, why the word 'batter' shares roots with a power cell, and how a flatfish connects to a town square. Plus, hear the story of the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish (and its rivalry with a tropical fruit), and the sauce named after an ethnic group.This episode concludes with 'Who Invented Ketchup?', an episode of the Who Smarted podcast. https://whosmarted.com/
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29:17
81. Art | ArtMuse: Elizabeth Siddall
This episode reveals the etymology behind art-related terms, tracing words like draw, sketch, mural, canvas and sepia to their origins. Discover how 'canvas' shares an etymology with a drug, how 'pastel' links to pasta, and why an easel is connected to a donkey. We also uncover the name meanings and origins of iconic artist names like Van Gogh, Leonardo Da Vinci and Pablo Picasso, whose full name is surprisingly long.The episode concludes with an excerpt from the ArtMuse podcast, telling the story of Elizabeth Siddall, a 19th century artist and model.Find the ArtMuse podcast:Online: https://www.artmusepodcast.com/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/artmuse/id1666669080Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Czv1RuVGJQBimVCyCO19aYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@artmuse3717
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23:46
80. Names: Novels & Theatre
This episode traces the origins of names from classic novels and theatre plays, uncovering the stories behind characters and their creators. You may not recognise the name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, but you'll know his pen name, which was crafted from variants of his own. Learn the likely reason Oscar Wilde chose the name Dorian for his character, how the name Macbeth is linked to an alcoholic beverage, and how Ophelia connects to a mosquito. Also explored are the surname origins of characters from Jane Austen stories, including Darcy, Ferrars, Bennet and Price.
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79. Animals
This episode traces the origins of animal names, from the orangutan, whose name has nothing to do with its fur colour, to the pangolin, named for its ability to curl into a ball. Discover the etymology behind mythical human-animal hybrids like the minotaur, werewolf and mermaid, as well as how names like Rachel, Callum, Arthur and Ursula have animal-inspired roots. Plus, uncover the surprising histories behind phrases like 'let the cat out of the bag' and' curry favour', the latter of which has equine origins and no connection to Indian cuisine.Until April 10th 2025, get 15% off animal-themed socks at Bare Kind, a company that donates a portion of its profits to animal conservation organisations. Minimum purchase £20. Use the code Etymoleon15 at checkout: https://barekind.co.uk/
About Etymoleon - Word History, the etymology podcast.
Word History is a weekly 15 minute etymology podcast by Etymoleon, dedicated to uncovering the history behind words and names. Each episode unveils the journey of words and their connections to various languages such as Old English, Ancient Greek, Latin, Old French, Proto-Germanic and many more. Episodes also highlight historical events related to the topic and terms explored. Earlier episodes were just the beginning, start with later episodes for the best takes on word, name and historical origins. New episodes every Sunday. If you like etymology try Derivety, a daily word game by Etymoleon. Can you guess the word from the meaning of its origin? Play now at https://derivety.com. Get in touch with Etymoleon at https://etymoleon.com.
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