The word had made scattered appearances in English literature as early as the 1590s, but 18th-century Britain is when our modern world, and our modern use of the word tariff, began.

Word Origins the Internet Got Completely Wrong Word origins (etymology) is every bit the serious academic discipline you might expect it to be — except when it's not. Shannon Sanford ...

6. Lunatic Another moon-related word that’s staring you in the face is lunatic. The word was originally an adjective, describing someone whose behavior was affected by the phases of the moon.

“Language is just so amusing. It has playfulness built into it, and so does food,” said Dr. Tschann, who taught English and linguistics for many years at the University of Redlands, in ...

Opinion How ‘woke’ became the least woke word in U.S. English February 2, 2022 More than 3 years ago (Andrea Pippins for The Washington Post) By Bijan C. Bayne ...

Today is something of a special day for the viral word-puzzle game Wordle. It’s the 222nd entry. It’s been 111 days since the 111th entry, and will be another 111 days before the 333rd.

But etymology does make the world a funnier and more beautiful place. An epic history can lie behind some terribly mundane word that you use every day and never thought twice about.