What is the origin of the cross-linguistic "kutt"-like root for dog? [more inside]
posted on Jul 12, 2008 - 8 answers

What is the etymology of "brand new"? When did it first appear?
posted on Jun 24, 2008 - 4 answers

The etymology of Greek "glory" names... [more inside]
posted on May 29, 2008 - 2 answers

MajorDomesticDebateFilter : What is up? She says jig. I say gig. Google is undecided. [more inside]
posted on Apr 25, 2008 - 37 answers

What is the etymology of the word "cockpunch"? [more inside]
posted on Apr 24, 2008 - 15 answers

When did the concept of "transferable skills" become commonplace? [more inside]
posted on Apr 1, 2008 - 6 answers

What does Billy Joel mean when he sings, “the most she will do is throw shadows at you”? [more inside]
posted on Feb 15, 2008 - 31 answers

Etymology of "ginger" to mean redhead? [more inside]
posted on Feb 8, 2008 - 21 answers

Another etymology question : what's the origin of the term `book' meaning `to go'. For example `Let's book on outta here", or "I'm gonna book down to the 7-11". [more inside]
posted on Jan 10, 2008 - 35 answers

Why do mathematicians (and/or programmers) describe information passed to a function as an 'argument'? [more inside]
posted on Dec 13, 2007 - 14 answers

Obsessivewordenthusiastfilter: I'm writing a paper and I'm trying to portray a certain situation which I feel would be best conveyed with the use of an allusion, preferably to a Greek or Roman myth. More inside! [more inside]
posted on Dec 9, 2007 - 19 answers

What is the origin of using asterisks to bracket a self-referential action statement? [more inside]
posted on Dec 8, 2007 - 27 answers

Etymologyfilter: what is the origin of the term"Bird Course"?
posted on Dec 7, 2007 - 8 answers

Hitler, Himmler, Goebbels, Ribbentrop, Göring -- what are these surname origins? [more inside]
posted on Nov 12, 2007 - 9 answers

If "anhedonia" is an inability to get pleasure from pleasurable experiences, is there a word or concept that describes an inability (or a diminished capacity) to be saddened by experiences usually considered "sad"? [more inside]
posted on Nov 1, 2007 - 25 answers

What's the origin of the phrase "special (little) snowflake?" [more inside]
posted on Oct 5, 2007 - 19 answers

Does the English language have a one-word verb meaning "to write a biography of someone"? And if so: does anyone use it? [more inside]
posted on Sep 5, 2007 - 27 answers

How did the word "Brave" originate to identify Native Americans?
posted on Aug 3, 2007 - 6 answers

Is there a name for phrases (or sometimes words) that have lost their previous specific/narrow/jargon meanings and are now used generally in a wide variety of situations with little or no knowledge about their prior usage? Are there lists of them anywhere with the phrases and explanations? [more inside]
posted on Jul 30, 2007 - 18 answers

So, I want to learn more about etymology. What's a good place to get started? [more inside]
posted on Jul 30, 2007 - 9 answers

Please help me find the etymology for the German word "kitsch". [more inside]
posted on Jul 12, 2007 - 10 answers

Does the phrase "Please, not in the face!" (in reference to a metaphorical imminent beating) have a definitive, particular origin from a famous film or some other piece of pop culture? Or has it just sort of established itself from actual beatings?
posted on Jun 15, 2007 - 16 answers

I need to find the word meaning "a word with mixed Latin and Greek roots." It's not just "hybrid word," but a word that specifically indicated Greek and Latin origins. I've had several people remark that they know it but can't think of it, and my search skills have failed thusfar.
posted on May 6, 2007 - 10 answers

What is the origin of the phrase, "last, best hope" as used in pretty much every self-consciously significant but ultimately cliched film, book or TV episode I've indulged myself with over the last ten years?
posted on Apr 8, 2007 - 18 answers

In England it's common for football (soccer) fans to declare their team allegiance by saying "I'm X" rather than "I'm an X supporter". For example today I overheard this snippet of conversation: Football supporter 1: "Are you Liverpool?" Football supporter 2: "No, I'm Arsenal." It's as if the team defines an entire person. Where and how did this turn of phrase evolve, and is it common with any other sports in other places?
posted on Apr 1, 2007 - 16 answers

I am looking for the etymology for the term "gentleman's 'c'" and my google-fu is just pulling up Bush-bashing. Any advice from the hive?
posted on Mar 21, 2007 - 8 answers

Why is it called the index finger? [more inside]
posted on Feb 23, 2007 - 8 answers

"Adanac" is "Canada" spelled backwards, and it's an exceedingly common name for businesses, streets and so forth in Canada. Is this common in any other country? [more inside]
posted on Feb 17, 2007 - 43 answers

When did people start saying "best ___ evar" or "worst ___ evar"? Was there a single notable case that sparked the trend, or did it start happening more slowly without a specific origin? Standard etymology searches have turned up nothing.
posted on Jan 18, 2007 - 25 answers

How did people describe "electric" experiences before electricity? I got to wondering when someone described the feeling of being pressed up against someone as "electric"...surely people had that experience (for example) before it meant "like invisible power" or "tingly all over"? [more inside]
posted on Dec 20, 2006 - 25 answers

What is the origin, or etymology of the phrase: "bat shit insane"? [more inside]
posted on Nov 21, 2006 - 3 answers

TissueCultureFilter: Does anyone know the etymology behind calling cell scrapers 'policemen'? [more inside]
posted on Nov 21, 2006 - 5 answers

How can I find out who coined the term 'perverse incentive'? [more inside]
posted on Nov 18, 2006 - 4 answers

Where does the phrase "Get out the vote" come from? [more inside]
posted on Nov 6, 2006 - 8 answers

Where did the phrase "the shit hit the fan" originate from? My googling has revealed one claim that it is from 1930's jazz lingo, although no explanantion is given as to what it meant at the time, and another site gives a story that describes the origin that doesn't seem believable. (the last paragraph here: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=shit Does anyone know where the phrase came from? Thanks!
posted on Sep 26, 2006 - 8 answers

Linguistic/Etymology academics: I wrote a 2,000 word paper / article which friends say is of publishable quality and interesting, but not sure what venue to try. [more inside]
posted on Sep 21, 2006 - 10 answers

OK, so I'm sitting here with one of my buddies, talking about his research, and we realized that we know the word for "of or relating to mice" (murine), and the word for "of and related to cow" (bovine), but have no clue what the word for "of or related to rat" is. And after what we thought of as a pretty comprehensive web search (including this very good Google Answer), we're no closer to an answer. Anyone know what the word we're looking for is?
posted on Sep 16, 2006 - 14 answers

Weird grammar question that's been bugging me for a while with regards to reversing questioning clauses at the end of declarative sentences. [more inside]
posted on Sep 8, 2006 - 22 answers

Have the meanings of words referring to colours changed? [more inside]
posted on Sep 3, 2006 - 32 answers

When was the phrase "pull the plug" first used in the sense of allowing someone to die? (such as stopping artificial respiration, etc...)
posted on Aug 19, 2006 - 4 answers

What is the origin of the term MILF? [more inside]
posted on Aug 18, 2006 - 25 answers

What's the origin/etymology of the phrase "Tall Drink of Water", usually in reference to an attractive southern woman?
posted on Aug 14, 2006 - 22 answers

Origins of the phrase "Big Sky"? Was it first used to describe Montana? Might it have Native American origins?
posted on Jul 27, 2006 - 4 answers

Does anyone have any idea what the phrase "common or garden" actually means? I mean I know it means "ordinary" but what is the garden bit about? or is it common as in Greenham Common, perhaps?
posted on May 24, 2006 - 12 answers

Did "based on" beget "based off of"? [more inside]
posted on May 16, 2006 - 28 answers

What's the original source of the phrase, "fly your freak flag high?"
posted on May 3, 2006 - 11 answers

What's the origin of the phrase "For those of you [playing/following/scoring] along at home?" [more inside]
posted on Apr 28, 2006 - 23 answers

What is the origin of the phrase "to shoot the shit?"
posted on Apr 28, 2006 - 7 answers

In English, we have words like mercurial, martial, jovial, and saturnine... [more inside]
posted on Apr 26, 2006 - 22 answers

On Unix systems, what is the origin of the directory name "/etc"? That is, why is it called that versus "config", "conf", or anything else that might make sense? Thanks!
posted on Apr 10, 2006 - 43 answers