It is inevitable that words change their meanings over time but it is still interesting to know the English words the meanings of which became very different from what they mean originally.
You might be surprised to know that the words you’ll find here are mostly words that you use regularly. It is a regular occurrence and the change of meaning could be narrowed or broadened. An example of this is the word ”hound.” Previously, a canine is traditionally called hound, while dog is used to indicate a canine that is fierce and big. The term ”dog” became the common term, which is broadening its meaning. The meaning of ”hound” became narrow as it now only refers to hunting dogs. Dogs of smaller breeds, especially, including Chihuahuas and toy dogs should never be called hounds.
Some of the narrowing and broadening of the meaning of words happened randomly. The question whether someone drinks refers to imbibing alcoholic drinks rather than all liquids. Previously, enjoying music means enjoying classical music, nothing else. When you say you enjoy reading today, it more or less means that the person is reading fiction instead of books on various subjects including history, science, nature and the like.
Intuitive and transformative shift
The changing of the meaning of words follows a mild transformative and intuitive direction. In the old days ”meat” referred to all items related to food, which is why ”candy” is called sweetmeat. Now meat solely pertain to flesh, which, while narrowed stayed within the sphere of food.
Some of the shift was lateral. Bird for example used to refer to a baby animal before it became the overall term for flying animals, which used to be called ”fugol.” The latter narrowed and changed to ”fowl” and now refers to birds raised in farms such as hens, geese, ducks and turkeys.
Distant shifts
The meanings of many English words today are very far from the original because of implications.
Audition
One of them is the word ”audition” that seems to have the root word that refers to ”audio.” Today, when you hear the term, what easily comes to mind is a person trying out for a film or play.
However, when ”audition” first came to be used, the word was used by doctors to mean that a patient’s hearing would be better once the ears are cleared of whatever is blocking the sound.
In 19th century England, the term for tryouts became ”hearings” because at that time trying out for plays means listening to a person reciting something, which writers turned into something fancier by using the word ”audition.”
The word stuck and used primarily to mean trying out for a performance while hearing became the term that refers to sound perception.
Commodity
Commodity now refers to staple products the quantity of which remains constant regardless of producers. The term is commonly used when referring to futures contracts that ensure uniformity in price even when the market fluctuates.
When the word was first used, it referred to comfort, for example, in accommodation, meaning indulging in personal comforts, such as enjoying the pleasure of staying in bed or spreading your body on a cozy sofa.
The current meaning is very distant for the original intent – from feeling comfortable to being products in the futures market, which is about financial contracts.
Fine
The word ”fine” came from the French word, ”fin” or end. Today, it has evolved to mean something that is ”the best,” ”the ultimate” or ”the top of the line.” Thus, initially fine, means either something of high quality or the end. The high quality meaning is what made it into the English language, which became associated with something delicate. It implies top quality as the item was produced with high precision.
However, there are other used for the word fine. When someone is asked how they are doing, the standard reply is he/she is fine. In this context, the word fine implies that the person is not hurt, is feeling great or in good health. The meaning extends to other things, such as the payment for a minor violation.
When you watch a French film, you are still likely see the word ”fin” at the end before the credits. But outside France, fine means something else.
Minority
The original meaning of the word ”minority” was a ”small portion” of something, which means that it was a technical term. However, today the word is generally used as a demographic term. When you say minority, the implication is that you refer to people of color. In the minds of many Americans, minority refers to Latino and Black people. So even if the Whites were outnumbered by Latinos or Blacks, they would never be referred to as minority because they do not have dark complexions.
Merry
Merry is a word the original meaning of which is very different from how it is used today. In the past, ”merry” meant ”short.” It is because something short or brief is pleasant. Now merry means joy, gaiety, full of merriment, fun, lively and so on. The English language already had a word ”short” in the early days, however, it meant ”sliced off.”
Merry had a long past as well. It started from the steppes in Ukraine where most of the languages in Europe originated. Merry came from the word ”mregh” that became ”brakhion” in Greece. It was a term used for the upper arm, as physically, the lower arm is longer than the upper arm. Brakhion entered the Latin language as ‘brakh” but ended as a pastry term, as in brachitella or bread that resembles folded arms. Old German adopted the term as brezitella that morphed into brezel in Middle High German, which is now known as pretzel.
In the French language, brach referred to shoulder straps that extended to mean the chemise worn by children. Brach evolved into brassiere which was shortened to ”bra.”
In a sense, pretzel and bra are the same as merry, although the evolution that happened gradually means that it would be impossible today to use the three words in a sentence that would make sense.
Awful and awesome
Both words came from ”awe,” which is an Old English word that originally meant dread, terror or fear. When used to refer to God, it meant respectful or reverential fear. Awesome and awful used to be synonyms, but in the 19th century however, awful became a term that is synonymous to the emotion’s negative aspect thus it usually refers to something very bad or something frightful. Awesome on the other hand became the term used to mean mind-boggling, stunning or marvelous, which were cited initially in a 1980 publication called Official Preppy Handbook.
Old dictionary with page open, showing side tabs
Opposite meaning
The meaning of words will continue to change as long as there are speakers of the language. Some of the meanings shift to become the opposite of the original while some become complimentary or otherwise.
Nice
From the Anglo-Norman language to classical Latin to English, the word ”nice” used to refer to someone ”ignorant” from the Latin word ”nescius.” Starting from the 1300s up to the 1600s the meaning was the same – ignorant, foolish or silly. But during the same period, nice took on different meanings, from being dissolute, wanton, cowardly, effeminate, lazy, intricate, sluggish, refined to elegant.
In the 16th century the meanings changed to sharp, attentive, meticulous. When the 18th century arrived, the meanings lost much of its prestige; it gained the meaning we use today, such as pleasant or agreeable.
Dinner
Dinner started from the French word ”disner” that originated from the Latin term, ”disjejunare” or breaking the fast. Thus it originally referred to the first meal you have for the day. Through the evolution of the word, it was used to refer to the day’s main meal, which is still used in some circles. For the fashionable and professional classes today, as mentioned in the Oxford English Dictionary, dinner now refers to the largest meal taken in the evening. The last meal served during the day is called supper, which is seldom used today. The current meaning is a light meal in the early evening if you had dinner in the middle of the day. You could also have supper before you go to bed.
Naughty
Naughty people in the 1300s were those who had naught or nothing. It meant they were either needy or poor. A millennium later, the meaning shifted to someone morally wicked or bad or someone who was worth nothing. So the meaning changed from having nothing to someone sexually provocative, promiscuous or licentious. But in the late 17th century other meanings were added to naughty. These are gentler terms, often used to refer to children who display misbehavior, disobedience or mischievousness.
Several more English words have changed meanings. Silly for example used to mean blessed or worthy before the meanings became vulnerable or weak. Today, it is mainly used to refer to someone foolish. Some are more difficult to comprehend, such as clue coming from the word ”clew” meaning a ball of yarn to being important pieces of evidence. Fathom used to mean, ”to encircle with your arm” whereas today it means understanding something after spending time to think about it.
It does not matter if the meanings of many English words continue to change. The human translators of Day Translations, Inc. will always use the most applicable words to accurately translate your documents. They are all native speakers and located around the world to serve your translation requirements quickly and efficiently. We serve clients 24/7, 365 days a year. So contact us for translation services anytime by calling us at 1-800-969-6853 or sending us an email at Contact us.
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Words are an important part of communication. Perhaps, some might argue, the most important part. But words are ever-changing, and what a word means today doesn’t always align with what it meant years ago. In this article, we explore 32 words that have changed meaning over time.
The history of the English language is a long and winding road, leading words to take on new meanings as time has gone by. Some words have retained their original meaning while others have been given entirely new ones. The interesting thing about these changes is that they reflect how society has evolved over the years – from kings ruling kingdoms to computers dominating offices and homes across the globe.
Now, as we face even more societal changes – such as gender identification, cultural appropriation, and inclusion – words that we used to toss about on a daily basis will need to change again.
There are words that were once used to describe people or things in a very different way than they do now. That’s because the English language – and language in general – is a living organism: it changes through time and across cultures in order to reflect the needs of that society. Words that have changed meaning over time don’t usually do so by accident. Or, at least, they didn’t used to.
Sometimes words just take on different meanings as colloquialisms change over time, but often words were given new meaning by those in power – such as monarchs or presidents ruling a country who specified the language used within their domain.
The history of English has a lot to do with power struggles: from kings trying to control their kingdoms with words to tyrants waging wars for global domination. And sometimes words that have changed meaning did so simply because it’s more fun than keeping things traditional. Plus, pop culture plays a role in how words are used as we are increasingly exposed to sayings and meanings that we might never have seen without Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
If you love words as much as I do, you’ll love some of these Words of Wisdom posts featuring some stunning quotes on various subjects, including:
WORDS OF WISDOM – THE BEST QUOTES TO GET YOUR THROUGH YOUR DAY
Here we look at 32 words with meanings that have changed throughout history. We also see how these changes represent societal progress over time! Examples include useful words like ‘awful’, ‘unbelievable’, and ‘gay’ but there are many others for your enjoyment too!
The Word Nice
In the past, this word used to mean “simple” or “foolish”. It was meant as a derogatory comment about someone’s less-than-stellar mental capacities. Nowadays, it has a very different – and much “nicer” – meaning.
The Word Silly
The space that Nice used to occupy is now owned by Silly. Today, this is used to refer to someone who is “foolish” or acts in a way that’s immature. However, it comes from an Old English term meaning “blessed”. This word morphed over time from “blessed” to “pious” to “innocent” to “harmless” to “pitiable” to “week” to “feeble” over the course of several centuries.
The Word Unbelievable
This word originated as a contraction of words meaning “not able” and “to believe”. It meant exactly what the word says – unable to believe. In order words, you were accusing the person of lying. However, nowadays it is used to describe something as “very good or impressive”.
The Word Dumb
In the past, this word meant someone who was mute or silent – either by choice or by physical restriction. Today’s meaning relates more to mental state as a dumb person can say a lot of dumb things.
The Word Awful
This is another example of a derogatory term having been transformed from something that used to have positive connotations. Awful meant impressive, great, or worthy of respect (aka Full of Awe), and could be good or bad depending on its usage. Now, something that is awful is never very good!
The Word Fizzle
Fizzle used to be a word that described the sound made by gas escaping from something, such as drinks (or the human body)! The word has since been adopted in English slang and is now used to describe something that fails to perform as expected.
The Word Glamour
To think of something that has Glamour, one tends to think of opulence, such as Hollywood Glamour, but this word was originally used to refer to a magical enchantment.
The Word Mad
Mad is an adjective that meant “insane” or “crazy”, a way to describe someone who had severe mental problems! To ask someone “Are you mad?” had VERY serious potential consequences back in the day. Not only have these meanings softened over time, but “Mad” can now be used in a positive way, such as complimenting someone on their “Mad Skills, bro!”
The Word Sick
In the past, this was a noun meaning someone with a severe illness or disease – it was not used when someone simply felt unwell. Although it is still used in that way today, it has also expanded and has – in recent years – been adopted in English slang to describe something as “cool”.
The Word Wench
Wench is a word that has an interesting and somewhat surprising history. It first came into the English language as words describing children of both genders – it was even used to describe a young boy or apprentice – although it was more commonly used to refer to a female child. It was only later words used to describe female servants.
The Word Fathom
Fathom is a word that was used to describe the act of measurement. To “Fathom” something was to measure it using your outstretched arms to measure something. Now, instead of wrapping your arms around something, it means to figuratively “wrap your mind around” an interesting concept. I can’t quite Fathom how this came to be. However, as with many words that have changed meaning over time, there are still traditional uses of the word, and Fathom is still often used to measure the water’s depth.
The Word Clue
Clue was used to describe a thread or “balls of yarn”. These balls were useful for finding your way through winding passages, and that’s how they started being used to describe a way of finding your way out of a difficult situation. Eventually, it evolved to describe any kind of guide, even something as simple as a hint or a suggestion!
The Word Gossip
Gossip originated from words describing those who sang in the choir. The choir would often gather around and “sing” (gossip) to one another about other members of their community!
The Word Naughty
Although naughty is used to describe children (or adults) who misbehave, that wasn’t always the case. This was used to describe a child too young to speak (had naught words), or those who were poor (had naught or nothing). It wasn’t until later that it was used to describe behavior.
The Word Spinster
In the past, Spinster was used to describe women who spun yarn. This evolved into a new meaning, describing single, working, or unmarried women!
The Word Bachelor
For the variation that applies to single men, the word bachelor originally described a young knight of the lowest rank. It wasn’t until later that this word started being used to describe an unmarried man.
The Word Flirt
Flirt was used to describe something that fluttered or flickered, like a bird’s wings! Now it has a more negative connotation to describe someone who is insincere and attention-seeking, or someone playing with another’s emotions.
The Word Hussy
This is another word that completely changed its meaning over time, as it was originally used to refer to the mistress of a household (aka a housewife). Now, it takes on a much less reputable meaning.
The Word Quell
Back in the day, Quelling something or someone meant to kill it outright, now it takes on a much more subdued meaning (pun intended)!
The Word B*tch
This is another example of an offensive term that has been used in positive ways over time! It derives from the technical term for a female dog, which then transitioned to a derogatory descriptor for someone acting as such. Eventually, it became a generally disparaging description for an unliked female. Although even more recently, it is often used in a friendly way among social gatherings – but use it with caution!
The Word Dork
This is now used as a word to describe someone who is not very cool. However, the word ‘dork’ was originally another term for a male penis. Nowadays, it’s used in a more affectionate way, meaning something or somebody “nerdy” or perhaps even “super smart.”
The Word Maid
This originated in the Middle Ages when it was used to describe a woman who worked in domestic service. This word then evolved into meaning “a sexually pure or innocent young woman” (or old maid, which was meant to reference an older woman who never married and – therefore, it was assumed – remained a virgin). Eventually, it changed back to meaning those who helped with domestic chores.
The Word Senile
Senile was originally used to describe old people in general, but it changed over time to describe someone who has lost some (or all) of their mental faculties with age.
The Word Punk
This word started out life as words referring to a young boy or servant! It could even be related words describing the devil in Christian texts. Nowadays, we use words to describe those who are disaffected or antagonistic… or a type of music.
The Word Gay
Gay started out as describing those who were happy and carefree. It was even used to describe a type of fabric! Now it is used primarily to refer to homosexual men (and sometimes women). However, it further developed into a derogatory and sometimes offensive term to refer to something being “bad” or “stupid”. With the continued LGTBQ+ rights movement, the derogatory usage of the word “Gay” has been reduced substantially over the past few years, but you can still hear people comment that something is “So Gay!” in a negative way.
The Word Nerd
In the past, Nerd described unsophisticated or boorish people, now it takes on a different meaning altogether! It is words describing someone who is overly intellectual or beyond geeky.
The Word Hipster
Although Hipster was originally used to describe someone who wore a specific style of clothing, it has taken on words that relate more specifically to fashion and counter-culture.
The Word Egregious
Egregious was used to describe something that was not common or ordinary. So, if you were distinguished or eminent, you could be egregious. Such as being an egregious doctor. Now egregious behavior is more likely to be considered offensive and unnecessary!
The Word Queue
Queue words originally referred to a tail, and it has evolved into words referring to a line of people. It’s hard to imagine where this will go next, but I’d line up to see that!
The Word Quaint
Quaint was originally used to describe something that was old-fashioned or out of the ordinary. Now quaint has taken on more of a cute and homey meaning, and can often be considered diminutive.
The Word Myriad
Myriad words used to have a specific number, 10,000. So if you had a Myriad of something, you had 10,000 of that particular item. Nowadays, myriad just means a more general sense of quantity, as in having a LOT of something, without specifying a certain number. For example, Art & Home carries a myriad of Tapestry Wall Hangings. If I said this back in the day, it would not be true… as we don’t – quite – have 10,000 of them. Today, with over 2,000 of them to choose from, this word applies.
The Word Scurvy
Scurvy originally referred to someone who was infested with lice, but it has taken on a different meaning altogether! Although still not a pleasant situation, this is one of the words that have changed meaning within a similar category at least.
In Conclusion – Words That Have Changed Meaning
There are plenty of words that have changed meaning over time, and it will continue to happen as time continues to march on.
Words change their meaning as time goes on and as our understanding of the English language changes over time! Although words may seem like they are set in stone without much leeway for variation, it is interesting to note how these words have shifted and can continue to shift with time and context.
And I would not be at all surprised to see these words, and others, continue to change their meanings as time marches onward.
Составили подборку слов, изменивших свое исходное значение.
Словари — невероятный ресурс знаний, но далеко не вечный. Язык проживает жизнь, как и его носители, а значит, значения его слов могут меняться с течением времени.
Анна Курзан в своем выступлении на TED рассказала о таком феномене, как изменение значения слова с течением времени. Мы послушали ее речь и составили список английских слов, которые со временем изменили свое значение.
- A bachelor /ˈbætʃələ/
Когда-то бакалавром называли молодого рыцаря, а сейчас — человека, получившего начальную академическую степень. Также это слово означает «холостяк».
- A clue /kluː/
Столетия назад словом a clue называли моток пряжи, а сегодня его значения — «улика», «ключ».
- A guy /ɡaɪ/
Слово произошло от имени Гая Фокса, который участвовал в неудачной попытке взорвать британский парламент в 1605 году. Позже словом a guy называли причудливо одетого человека. Сегодня в США a guy употребляется в значении «парень», «друг», «чувак».
- A hussy /ˈhʌsi/
Хотите верьте, хотите нет, но слово hussy происходит от слова a housewife (домохозяйка), но характеризует дерзкую девчонку или распутную женщину.
- Meat /miːt/
Раньше словом meat называли не только мясо, но и пищу в целом. В английском даже есть выражение meat and drink, где мясо, как твердая пища, противопоставляется напиткам.
- Myriad /ˈmɪriəd/
Сегодня это слово означает «несметное число», а шестьсот лет назад было больше конкретики, ведь слово переводилось как «десять тысяч».
- A spinster /ˈspɪnstə/
Существительное a spinster переводится как «старая дева», а когда-то этим словом называли прядильщиц.
- A wench /wentʃ/
Раньше слово означало младенца женского пола, а сейчас — служанок и распутных женщин.
- Awful /ˈɔːfəl/
Раньше этим прилагательным характеризовали нечто величественное, достойное благоговения и поклонения, а теперь его значение — «страшный», «ужасный» или вовсе «отвратительный».
- Eerie /ˈɪəri/
Прилагательное eerie описывает вещи, которые внушают страх, а раньше оно характеризовало суеверных людей, испытывающих страх.
- Egregious /ɪˈɡriːdʒəs/
Раньше это прилагательное характеризовало кого-то или что-то выдающееся, однако сегодня оно несет отрицательную окраску и переводится как «вопиющий».
- Naughty /ˈnɔːti/
Вначале прилагательное naughty означало «ничего не иметь», потом оно характеризовало безнравственность, а теперь переводится как «непослушный».
- Nice /naɪs/
Изначально слово переводили как «глупый» и «безрассудный», а теперь используют в качестве комплимента.
- Senile /ˈsiːnaɪl/
Раньше прилагательное характеризовало качества, которые присущи людям пожилого возраста, например, мудрость, терпение, медлительность и т. д. Сейчас оно означает «престарелый», «старческий».
- Silly /ˈsɪli/
В давние времена этим словом характеризовали нечто достойное или благословенное, а сейчас оно означает «глупый».
- To divest /daɪˈvest/
Глагол означает «распродавать компании», «изымать капитал», а 300 лет назад его использовали, когда речь шла о лишении собственности, разоблачении и раздевании.
- To fathom /ˈfæðəm/
Непонятно, как глагол, означавший «обхватить руками», обрел значение «исследовать», «выяснять».
- To fizzle /ˈfɪzəl/
Когда-то глагол характеризовал шипящий звук, однако благодаря студенческому сленгу стал переводиться как «потерпеть неудачу».
- To flirt /flɜːt/
Полтысячелетия назад глагол to flirt характеризовал отрывистое движение, например: щелчок открывающегося веера, взмах, внезапный бросок. Но сейчас его трактуют как действия, которые выражают заинтересованность в человеке противоположного пола.
- To quell /kwel/
Глагол to quell означал «убивать», а сейчас переводится как «успокаивать», «подавлять эмоции».
Лингвист и профессор Колумбийского университета Джон МакВортер проследил эволюцию пяти слов, значение которых менялось на протяжении тысячелетий. Своими исследованиями он поделился в статье на Ideas.Ted и книге Words on the Move: Why English Won’t — and Can’t — Sit Still (Like, Literally).
- An audition /ɔːˈdɪʃən/
Слово an audition — заимствовано из латыни. Когда оно впервые появилось в английском языке, то использовалось в медицинском контексте и означало «слушание». Если врач рекомендовал вещество, которое вытягивает все, что находится в ушах, и способствует хорошему прослушиванию, он имел в виду, что слух улучшится, если прочистить уши. Спустя время слово an audition стали использовать в значении «прослушивания» и «проб» в театре и кино.
- A commodity /kəˈmɒdəti/
До XVII века слово a commodity означало «комфорт», однако сегодня оно переводится как «товар», «продукт потребления» и «нечто ценное».
- Fine /faɪn/
Заимствованное из французского слово fine сначала означало «конец». Сегодня слово обрело другие несхожие друг с другом значения, и его перевод зависит от контекста: «штраф», «взыскание», «тонкий, изящный», «очищать», «заострять», «становиться прозрачным».
- Minority /maɪˈnɒrəti/
Если изначально minority означало «меньшее число», «меньшая часть», то сейчас оно применяется в том же значении, но исключительно в контексте чернокожего населения.
- Merry /ˈmeri/
Раньше носители языка употребляли прилагательное merry в значении «короткий». Через некоторое время слово стало использоваться как «короткий и радостный», а потом и просто «радостный». Другие актуальные переводы слова merry: «забавный», «оживленный», «очаровательный» и «подвыпивший».
Хотите обогатить словарный запас и свободно говорить на английском? Тогда записывайтесь на курс разговорной практики.
Язык пластичен — слова устаревают, меняют значения, заменяются новыми. Чтобы использовать актуальную лексику, сверяйтесь с онлайн-словарями, смотрите фильмы в оригинальной озвучке и читайте зарубежные статьи и книги современников.
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Five words that have changed meaning over time
- Silly. Original meaning: Blessed with worthiness.
- Flux. Original meaning: Diarrhoea or dysentry.
- Fudge. Original meaning: Lies and nonsense.
- Leech. Original meaning: A doctor or healer.
- Stripe. Original meaning: A mark on the skin from a lash.
Contents
- 1 What is a word that has changed meaning over time?
- 2 What words have changed their meanings?
- 3 What did leech used to mean?
- 4 What slang words are used today?
- 5 When a word has 2 meanings?
- 6 What is a word that means new and different?
- 7 What animal has 32 brains?
- 8 What does it mean to call a person a worm?
- 9 What do leaches mean?
- 10 What means YEET?
- 11 What are some badass words?
- 12 What are some really cool words?
- 13 What are the 10 homonyms?
- 14 What words have multi in them?
- 15 What words have 3 meanings?
- 16 What is a synonym for changing?
- 17 What is a word that means new beginning?
- 18 What is the synonym of giant?
- 19 What animal has 800 stomachs?
- 20 What animal has 25000 teeth?
What is a word that has changed meaning over time?
semantic change
In diachronic (or historical) linguistics, semantic change is a change in one of the meanings of a word. Every word has a variety of senses and connotations, which can be added, removed, or altered over time, often to the extent that cognates across space and time have very different meanings.
What words have changed their meanings?
10 English Words That Have Completely Changed Meaning
- Awful. In Old English, ‘awe’ referred to “fear, terror or dread”.
- Cute. A shortening of the word ‘acute’, ‘cute’ originally meant sharp or quick-witted, and was even written with an apostrophe in place of the missing A.
- Fantastic.
- Flirt.
- Literally.
- Meat.
- Myriad.
- Nervous.
What did leech used to mean?
“Leech” has been used figuratively to mean “human parasite” since the late 1700s.
What slang words are used today?
Below are some common teen slang words you might hear:
- Dope – Cool or awesome.
- GOAT – “Greatest of All Time”
- Gucci – Good, cool, or going well.
- Lit – Amazing, cool, or exciting.
- OMG – An abbreviation for “Oh my gosh” or “Oh my God”
- Salty – Bitter, angry, agitated.
- Sic/Sick – Cool or sweet.
When a word has 2 meanings?
When words are spelled the same and sound the same but have different meanings, then they are called homonyms.
What is a word that means new and different?
Other synonyms of ‘new’ meaning ‘new and different’ are. innovative. advanced. experimental.
What animal has 32 brains?
Leech
Leech has 32 brains. A leech’s internal structure is segregated into 32 separate segments, and each of these segments has its own brain. Leech is an annelid.
What does it mean to call a person a worm?
an unpleasant person who does not deserve respect: Don’t be such a worm.
What do leaches mean?
: to remove or remove from by the action of a liquid passing through a substance Water leaches minerals from soil. The soil was leached by the constant rain. leach. transitive verb. ˈlēch
What means YEET?
Yeet is an exclamation of excitement, approval, surprise, or all-around energy, often as issued when doing a dance move or throwing something.
What are some badass words?
badass
- agitator.
- rebel.
- demagogue.
- dissident.
- fighter.
- frondeur.
- renegade.
- sparkplug.
What are some really cool words?
60+ of the Coolest, Most Epic Words in the English Language
| #1–15 | #16–30 | #31–45 |
|---|---|---|
| 3. Bizarre | 18. Flippant | 33. Onomatopoeia |
| 4. Blasphemy | 19. Gerrymandering | 34. Persnickety |
| 5. Bumblebee | 20. Hyperbolic | 35. Phosphorous |
| 6. Capricious | 21. Hypnosis | 36. Picturesque |
What are the 10 homonyms?
10 Homonyms with Meanings and Sentences
- Cache – Cash:
- Scents – Sense:
- Chile – Chili:
- Choir – Quire:
- Site – Sight:
- Facts- Fax:
- Finnish – Finish:
What words have multi in them?
10 letter words containing multi
- multimedia.
- multiplier.
- multiparty.
- multistate.
- multiphase.
- multilevel.
- multitrack.
- multistage.
Homonyms, or multiple-meaning words, are words that have the same spelling and usually sound alike, but have different meanings (e.g. dog bark, tree bark).
What is a synonym for changing?
- alter,
- make over,
- modify,
- recast,
- redo,
- refashion,
- remake,
- remodel,
What is a word that means new beginning?
A rebirth, revival or revitalization of something past. resumption. resurrection. rebirth. revitalization.
What is the synonym of giant?
giant, goliath, behemoth, monster, colossusnoun. someone or something that is abnormally large and powerful. Synonyms: devil, demon, monster, lusus naturae, teras, goliath, colossus, whale, titan, monstrosity, fiend, giant, giant star, hulk, heavyweight, behemoth, ogre, freak.
What animal has 800 stomachs?
Etruscan shrew
| Etruscan shrew | |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Eulipotyphla |
| Family: | Soricidae |
What animal has 25000 teeth?
Snails: Even though their mouths are no larger than the head of a pin, they can have over 25,000 teeth over a lifetime – which are located on the tongue and continually lost and replaced like a shark!
Words that used to mean something very different
We’ll own up right at the start: the ten words below were suggested to us by the latest book we’ve been reading, Paul Anthony Jones’s The Accidental Dictionary: The Remarkable Twists and Turns of English Words
. Jones’s previous books – one of which we included in our pick of the best and most interesting books about the English language – have taken a look at the curious and often surprising histories of English words, and his new book is no different. We were fortunate enough to be the recipients of an advance review copy of the book; it’s out in the UK next week. Below are ten surprising words which quite drastically altered their meanings at some point in the past, and now mean something very different from their original definitions.
AMBIDEXTROUS. This word, Jones reveals in his book, originally meant ‘duplicitous’ or ‘deceitful’, when it first appeared in the English language in the sixteenth century. An ‘ambidexter’, meanwhile, was a dishonest lawyer. Why? Because he would accept a payment from both sides of a legal dispute.
Of course, these days the word ‘ambidextrous’ simply denotes proficiency with both hands – meaning you can play tennis, for instance, equally well with your left or your right hand – but this more recent sense only emerged later in the sixteenth century. ‘Ambidextrous’ literally means ‘right-handed on both sides’. (‘Ambilaevous’, meaning ‘left-handed on both sides’, denotes the opposite – i.e. being useless with both hands.)
CLOUD. The word ‘cloud’ is from the Old English clúd – meaning ‘rock’ or ‘mass of stone’. So a cloud was originally something altogether more solid and tangible (that Old English clúd also gave us the words ‘clod’ and, rather nicely, ‘clot’). Jones tells us that Old English speakers probably began to use the rocky word to describe the rainclouds as a sort of metaphor (since the grey clouds could poetically be said to resemble large grey rocks in the sky).
CLUMSY. Since we included ‘ambidextrous’ above, we thought we’d best redress the balance by featuring this word. Well, that’s not the only reason. It also had a curious original meaning: ‘clumsy’ first meant ‘numb with cold’.
DRENCH. Now more familiar as a word denoting being soaked to the skin with water, ‘drench’ originally meant ‘to ply someone with drink’. The word ‘drench’ stems from the Old English drencan, which is also the root of ‘drink’.
EXPLODE. The word ‘explode’ has its rather curious and surprising origins in the theatre: it meant ‘to jeer a performer off a stage’. This seems odd until we realise the derivation of the word: from the Latin ex- and plaudere, ‘clap’. So to ‘explode’ an actor off the stage was to clap them off (slow handclaps, we presume).
FLIRT. When it first turned up in the language – possibly as an onomatopoeic attempt to capture the flickering or fluttering movement involved – the word ‘flirt’ meant a scornful, derisive jeer, usually a sudden twitch or jerking movement. It took on its more romantic meaning in around the early eighteenth century, but for several centuries before this it had referred to a mocking or derisive gesture.
JARGON. Although it’s more familiar to us as a term for complicated-sounding technical or specialist language, the word ‘jargon’ initially denoted birdsong, when it arrived in the English language from the French, in the early fourteenth century. Like ‘flirt’, its origins may have been onomatopoeic.
MEERKAT. This word is thought to come from the Sanskrit markata which means ‘ape’. Dutch sailors took up the word, and it morphed into ‘meerkat’, which literally means ‘sea-cat’. For several centuries, writers and explorers used the word to refer to a number of species of monkey. It was only at the end of the eighteenth century that the word was attached to the mongooses in Africa.
PINK. The word ‘pink’ started out denoting a very different colour from the pale reddish hue it’s now indelibly associated with, for it originally referred to a dark yellow. In the mid-fifteenth century, ‘pink’ referred to ‘a yellowish or greenish-yellow lake pigment made by combining a vegetable colouring matter with a white base’ (OED). What’s particularly surprising about the shift in the meaning of this word is that these two meanings of ‘pink’, as Jones reveals in his book, are etymologically unrelated. They just happened to end up being spelt the same way. Who’d have guessed?
TIDDLYWINK. In Victorian Britain, a ‘tiddlywink’ was an unlicensed pub. Nobody’s sure where this slang term came from, but one possible theory mentioned by Jones is that the word originated as slang for ‘a small tipple’ or ‘a wee dram’ (‘tiddly’ meaning small, of course, and ‘wink’ implying a short amount of time, suggesting that one was just nipping into a downmarket tavern for a quick drink). From the name for a bar to the name of a bar game, ‘tiddlywink’ became the game ‘tiddlywinks’, though the game it originally referred to was a variation on dominoes rather than the game with coloured counters which we know today.
Paul Anthony Jones’s The Accidental Dictionary: The Remarkable Twists and Turns of English Words is a fun and informative book that contains many, many more interesting stories about words which have drastically altered their meanings over time – many of which are just as surprising or unexpected as the ten we’ve picked out above. This is what we love about language: it’s always surprising us with its curious histories and forgotten etymologies.
Image (bottom): Meerkat at Cotswold Wildlife Park (picture credit: John5199, 2012), via Wikimedia Commons.