Word Origins and Their Romantic StoriesThe life stories of over three thousand words in use in English today. |
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Common terms and phrases
17th century Algonquian American ancient ancient Greece animal applied Arabic army became beginning bird borrowed British called canvasback duck cloth coin derived dictionary drink Dutch early England English language eventually famous finally flower following words form also appears France French word gave German girl goddess goes back Greek term Greek word hand hashshashin head hence horse human idea Italian Julius Caesar lady language Late Latin later Latin form Latin prefix Latin term Latin word literally live look Malaprop meant Medieval Latin Middle English modern native Old English Old French Old High German once originally person phrase piece plant play political prefix that means Roman Samuel Pepys sense simply sometimes Spanish speak speech spelled story things thought tion took traces turn usually verb wine women word comes word that means writing