Window
early 13c., lit. "wind eye," from O.N. vindauga, from vindr "wind" + auga "eye." Replaced O.E. eagþyrl, lit. "eye-hole," and eagduru, lit. "eye-door." Originally an unglazed hole in a roof, most Germanic languages adopted a version of L. fenestra to describe the glass version, and English used fenester as a parallel word till mid-16c.
Designed by Dan Cassaro
‘Illustrated Etymology’ is a website created by Portland-based illustrator Adam R. Garcia that explores the history of words in the English language.
The site features a collection of illustrations that explore the meaning and evolution of certain English words that we use in our everyday lives.
For more, please visit Illustrated Etymology.
Kid
c.1200, "the young of a goat," from a Scandinavian source (cf. O.N. kið "young goat"), from P.Gmc. *kiðjom (cf. O.H.G. kizzi, Ger. kitze, Dan., Swed. kid). Extended meaning of "child" first recorded as slang 1590s, established in informal usage by 1840s. Applied to skillful young thieves and pugilists since at least 1812. Kid stuff "something easy" is from 1913 (The phrase was in use about that time in reference to vaudeville acts or advertisements featuring children, and to children-oriented features in newspapers).
Designed by Lloyd Eugene Winter IV
Digital
1650s, "pertaining to fingers," from L. digitalis, from digitus.
Designed by Grace Danico
Average
Late 15c., "financial loss incurred through damage to goods in transit," from Frenchavarie "damage to ship," and Italian avaria; a word from 12c. Mediterranean maritime trade (cf. Spanish averia; other Germanic forms, Dutch avarij, German haferei, etc., also are from Romanic languages), of uncertain origin.
Designed by Dominic Flask
Cappuccino
1948, from Italian cappuccino, from Capuchin in reference to the beverage's color and its supposed resemblance to that of the brown hoods of the Friars Minor Capuchins.
Designed by Jake Holloman
Bikini
"low-waisted two-piece women's bathing suit," 1948, from French coinage, 1947, named for U.S. A-bomb test of June 1946 on Bikini, Marshall Islands atoll, locally Pikinni and said to derive from pik "surface" and ni "coconut," but this is uncertain. Various explanations for the swimsuit name have been suggested, none convincingly, the best being an analogy of the explosive force of the bomb and the impact of the bathing suit style on men's libidos (cf. c.1900 British slang assassin "an ornamental bow worn on the female breast," so called because it was very "killing").
Designed by Jason Sturgill
Berserk
1844, from berserk (n.) "Norse warrior," by 1835, an alternative form of berserker (1822), a word which was introduced by Sir Walter Scott, from O.N. berserkr (n.) "raging warrior of superhuman strength;" probably from *ber- "bear" + serkr "shirt," thus lit. "a warrior clothed in bearskin."
Designed by Adam R. Garcia
Hack
"to cut roughly, cut with chopping blows," c.1200, from verb found in stem of O.E.tohaccian "hack to pieces," from W.Gmc. *hakkon (cf. O.Fris. hackia "to chop or hack," Du.hakken, O.H.G. hacchon, Ger. hacken), from PIE *keg- "hook, tooth." Perhaps influenced by O.N. höggva "to hack, hew" (cf. hacksaw).
Designed by Levi McGranahan
Marsupial
1690s, from Mod.L. marsupialis "having a pouch," coined from L.L. marsupium "pouch, purse," L. marsuppium, from Gk. marsipion, dim. of marsipos "pouch"
Designed by Margherita Urbani
Kamikaze
"suicide flier," 1945, Japanese, lit. "divine wind," from kami "god, providence, divine" + kaze"wind." Originally the name given in folklore to a typhoon which saved Japan from Mongol invasion by wrecking Kublai Khan's fleet (August 1281). The attacks began in October 1944 off the Philippines.
Designed by Jack Teagle
[via Illustrated Etymology]
early 13c., lit. "wind eye," from O.N. vindauga, from vindr "wind" + auga "eye." Replaced O.E. eagþyrl, lit. "eye-hole," and eagduru, lit. "eye-door." Originally an unglazed hole in a roof, most Germanic languages adopted a version of L. fenestra to describe the glass version, and English used fenester as a parallel word till mid-16c.
Designed by Dan Cassaro
‘Illustrated Etymology’ is a website created by Portland-based illustrator Adam R. Garcia that explores the history of words in the English language.
The site features a collection of illustrations that explore the meaning and evolution of certain English words that we use in our everyday lives.
For more, please visit Illustrated Etymology.
Kid
c.1200, "the young of a goat," from a Scandinavian source (cf. O.N. kið "young goat"), from P.Gmc. *kiðjom (cf. O.H.G. kizzi, Ger. kitze, Dan., Swed. kid). Extended meaning of "child" first recorded as slang 1590s, established in informal usage by 1840s. Applied to skillful young thieves and pugilists since at least 1812. Kid stuff "something easy" is from 1913 (The phrase was in use about that time in reference to vaudeville acts or advertisements featuring children, and to children-oriented features in newspapers).
Designed by Lloyd Eugene Winter IV
Digital
1650s, "pertaining to fingers," from L. digitalis, from digitus.
Designed by Grace Danico
Average
Late 15c., "financial loss incurred through damage to goods in transit," from Frenchavarie "damage to ship," and Italian avaria; a word from 12c. Mediterranean maritime trade (cf. Spanish averia; other Germanic forms, Dutch avarij, German haferei, etc., also are from Romanic languages), of uncertain origin.
Designed by Dominic Flask
Cappuccino
1948, from Italian cappuccino, from Capuchin in reference to the beverage's color and its supposed resemblance to that of the brown hoods of the Friars Minor Capuchins.
Designed by Jake Holloman
Bikini
"low-waisted two-piece women's bathing suit," 1948, from French coinage, 1947, named for U.S. A-bomb test of June 1946 on Bikini, Marshall Islands atoll, locally Pikinni and said to derive from pik "surface" and ni "coconut," but this is uncertain. Various explanations for the swimsuit name have been suggested, none convincingly, the best being an analogy of the explosive force of the bomb and the impact of the bathing suit style on men's libidos (cf. c.1900 British slang assassin "an ornamental bow worn on the female breast," so called because it was very "killing").
Designed by Jason Sturgill
Berserk
1844, from berserk (n.) "Norse warrior," by 1835, an alternative form of berserker (1822), a word which was introduced by Sir Walter Scott, from O.N. berserkr (n.) "raging warrior of superhuman strength;" probably from *ber- "bear" + serkr "shirt," thus lit. "a warrior clothed in bearskin."
Designed by Adam R. Garcia
Hack
"to cut roughly, cut with chopping blows," c.1200, from verb found in stem of O.E.tohaccian "hack to pieces," from W.Gmc. *hakkon (cf. O.Fris. hackia "to chop or hack," Du.hakken, O.H.G. hacchon, Ger. hacken), from PIE *keg- "hook, tooth." Perhaps influenced by O.N. höggva "to hack, hew" (cf. hacksaw).
Designed by Levi McGranahan
Marsupial
1690s, from Mod.L. marsupialis "having a pouch," coined from L.L. marsupium "pouch, purse," L. marsuppium, from Gk. marsipion, dim. of marsipos "pouch"
Designed by Margherita Urbani
Kamikaze
"suicide flier," 1945, Japanese, lit. "divine wind," from kami "god, providence, divine" + kaze"wind." Originally the name given in folklore to a typhoon which saved Japan from Mongol invasion by wrecking Kublai Khan's fleet (August 1281). The attacks began in October 1944 off the Philippines.
Designed by Jack Teagle
[via Illustrated Etymology]