The English language is a fascinating and diverse language, with words having surprisingly varied origins and histories. Many words have been around for centuries, while others have been more recently adopted. In this article, I will be exploring ten English words that have surprisingly interesting histories.
Word #1: Church
The first word is ‘church’, which is derived from the old English ‘cirice’, and ultimately from the Greek ‘kuriakon’, meaning ‘belonging to the Lord’. Interestingly, the word ‘church’ has also been used to refer to other religious houses, such as a Jewish synagogue.
Word #2: Shut
The second word is ‘shut’, which is derived from the old English ‘scutian’, meaning ‘to close’. Interestingly, the word ‘shut’ is also related to the word ‘shutter’, which is a device used to close off an opening.
Word #3: Biscuit
The third word is ‘biscuit’, which is derived from the Latin ‘biscoctum’, meaning ‘twice-cooked’. The word ‘biscuit’ has been used to refer to a variety of baked goods, such as bread, cookies, and crackers.
Word #4: Cute
The fourth word is ‘cute’, which is derived from the old English ‘cuten’, meaning ‘clever’ or ‘skillful’. Interestingly, the word ‘cute’ has also been used to describe animals, such as cats and puppies.
Word #5: Linger
The fifth word is ‘linger’, which is derived from the old English ‘lengan’, meaning ‘to hang or remain’. The word ‘linger’ has been used to describe both physical and mental states, such as spending time in a place, or holding onto a particular emotion.
Word #6: Friend
The sixth word is ‘friend’, which is derived from the old English ‘freond’, meaning ‘loved one’. The word ‘friend’ has been used to refer to a variety of relationships, from close allies to casual acquaintances.
Word #7: Quiz
The seventh word is ‘quiz’, which is derived from the Latin ‘quis’, meaning ‘what’. The word ‘quiz’ has been used to refer to a variety of tests and questions, often used to assess knowledge or understanding.
Word #8: Bananas
The eighth word is ‘bananas’, which is derived from the Arabic ‘banan’, meaning ‘finger’. The word ‘bananas’ has been used to refer to a variety of fruits, from the yellow-skinned variety to the more exotic plantains.
Word #9: Punch
The ninth word is ‘punch’, which is derived from the Hindi ‘panch’, meaning ‘five’. The word ‘punch’ has been used to refer to a variety of drinks, ranging from alcoholic punches to non-alcoholic punches.
Word #10: Zombie
The tenth and final word is ‘zombie’, which is derived from the Haitian Creole ‘zonbi’, meaning ‘corpse’. The word ‘zombie’ has been used to refer to a