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Home » English Words with Interesting Origins
Human language is developing from time to time, but there are English words with interesting origins that you should know.
Boycott – refuse to deal with, named after a landlord in Ireland who made him self unpopular by his treatment of his tenants and was socially isolated. eg. The workers decided to boycott the company due to unfair wages.
Braille – name of a raised writing system used by blind people, named after Lazlo Biro, its Hungarian inventor. eg. The book was printed in Braille so that visually impaired readers could enjoy it.
Chauvinist – strong belief that your country or race is superior to others, named after Frenchman, Nicolas Chauvin, who was fanatically devoted to Napoleon Bonaparte, it. eg. His remarks about women in the workplace made him sound like a chauvinist.
Biro–ball-point name, named after Lazlo Biro, its Hungarian inventor. eg. The book was printed in Braille so that visually impaired readers could enjoy it.
Hooligan – a rough and lawless youth, named after the Irish Family name, Hooligan. eg. The police arrested a hooligan who was causing trouble at the football match.
Machiavellian – cunning, deceitful, unscrupulous in the pursuit of a goal, named after Nicollo Machiavelli, the Italian statesman who died in 1527. eg. His Machiavellian tactics helped him rise to power, but at the cost of his colleagues’ trust.
Mentor – loyal and wise advisor, named after Mentor, friend to Odysseus. eg. My professor became my mentor and guided me throughout my studies.
Pamphlet – a small leaflet, named after a character Pamphilus, in 12 century love poem. eg. The volunteer handed me a pamphlet about environmental conservation.
To pander – to indulge someone’s desires, named from Pandoras, a procurer or pimp in Ancient Greek Mythology. eg. The politician tried to pander to voters by making unrealistic promises
Saxophone – musical instrument, named after the Belgian inventor, Adolphe Sax. eg. He played a beautiful melody on the saxophone during the jazz concert.
Tawdry – looking bright and attractive but in fact, cheap and tasteless, named from St. Audrey, at whose annual fair in the town of Ely, near Cambridge, cheap gaudy scarves were sold. eg. The necklace looked expensive, but upon closer inspection, it was just a tawdry piece of costume jewelry.
Watt – unit of power, named from the 18th century Scottish inventor, James Watt. eg. The new LED bulbs use only five watts of power, making them energy efficient.
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