Otherwords is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio ...

Etymology is the study of the origins of words and how their usage has changed over time. It's every bit the serious academic discipline you might expect it to be — except when it's not. As it turns ...

We often hear fascinating stories about how things originated: the universe, the wheel, even pizza. But when it comes to the words we toss around every single day without a second thought, it’s wild ...

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them. Well, “comrade,” I bet you always thought that word comes ...

In this installment of NPR's "Word of the Week" series we trace the origins of the "cravat" (borrowed from the French ...

It wouldn't be spooky season without ghosts. The otherworldly white apparitions are a standby of Halloween celebrations. But they weren't always the stereotypical evil spirits we see in books and ...

The study of word origins (that is, etymology) is every bit the serious academic discipline you might expect it to be — except when it's not. As it turns out, people have a propensity to make false ...

“I always try to include word origins in my classes and most students are shocked!” Imagine finding out the word “salary” comes from the Latin word for salt, or that “quarantine” has roots in the ...