Can You Guess the Origins of These Words?

By: Elisabeth Henderson
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Can You Guess the Origins of These Words?
Image: Pixelchrome Inc / DigitalVision / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Language is not controlled by dictionaries and grammarians, though students of language are often made to feel that way. Instead, dictionaries and grammarians track the logic that holds a language together and the many meanings that words accrue as they pass through time. In other words, the speakers of a language create the language. The study of the origins of words, known as etymology, attempts to follow how words come into being and how the friction of historical events shapes their meaning. 

For instance, Old English, the oldest ancestor to our Modern English, came into being when Germanic tribes migrated to Britain in around 5 A.D. The clashing of cultures created a need for unique language. Another clash, the Norman conquest in 1066, drastically shaped the language to such a great extent that it ushered in the next era of English, Middle English. With the Norman invasion, Latin and French influences entered the spoken and written language. The Renaissance fascination with ancient languages, like Greek and Latin, marked the beginning of the shift to Modern English. 

The words we use are still changing, of course, with hundreds being added to the dictionary each year and sanctioned as accepted English. In 2019, Miriam Webster added “screen time” and “unplug,” among 638 others. As these words show, the changing language reflects the dramatically shifting cultural landscape. Take this quiz and test your knowledge of the shifting sands that formed these words! 

Q 01 Bersek Warriors
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Which ancient war tradition earned the name “berserk”?
Norse warriors dressing in bearskin coats and ferociously attacking the enemy
Scottish warriors flashing their kilts at the opposing side
Vikings who would bare their chests in the dead of winter to show lack of fear
Women who would get stir crazy while the men were at war
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The act of going “berserk,” where a person runs around in a frenzy wrecking their surroundings, hails back to the ancient Norse warriors who were said to dress like a bear, “bjorn,” with a “serkr,” coat. These warriors channeled the power of the bear to attack the enemy ferociously.

Q 02 Jumbo
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How did the word “jumbo” come to mean something unusually large?
It refers back to a “jumbo jet.”
It originally was the name of a very large rock in Australia.
“Jumbo” was the name of the London Zoo’s huge elephant.
“Jumbo” specified a breed of cow known for being unusually large.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1882, the word “jumbo” began to be used generally to refer to something unusually large. The reference pointed back to the London Zoo’s enormous elephant, Jumbo. Scholars speculate that this name may have originated from a West African dialect where “jumbo” meant elephant.

Q 03 Quarantine
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If you’ve been placed on “quarantine,” where can you trace the origins of your predicament to?
In the Middle Ages, the sick were placed in jail, or “quara.”
In Ancient Rome, lepers were sent at least 40 feet, or a quorum, away from the town.
In Ancient Greece, those infected with diseases had to do penance, a quarant, to appease the gods.
During the Black Plague, ships were held in port for 40, or quaranta, days to slow the spread of disease.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Black Plague, or the Black Death, wiped out nearly 25 million people, almost a third of the European continent’s population. To try to stop the spread of disease, passengers aboard ships in Italian ports would be detained for 40, or quaranta, days before being allowed on the shore.

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Q 04 Hazard a guess
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If you “hazard” a guess, which language family are you tapping into?
Arabic
Latin
Greek
Germanic
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The word “hazard” comes to English through the Arabic language family, via the Spanish word “azar,” for an “unfortunate card or throw at dice.” The Arabic influence on the Spanish word reveals the profound mixing of Spanish and Arabic culture in the Middle Ages. That we now use the word for taking a chance shows the use of metaphor in language building.

Q 05 Haze
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When you are wondering in a “haze,” what language meaning is connected to your situation?
A sense of confusion
A sense of irony
A sense of rage
A sense of ecstasy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The word "haze" does not date back much earlier than the 18th century in England, where the word originally referred to a state of confusion and vagueness. It was then used to refer to an opaque environment. Tellingly, the English language is the only language to have three words — haze, mist, and fog — that differentiate levels of opacity.

Q 06 Disaster
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What origin does the word “disaster” point to?
The Greek belief in a bad alignment of stars
The Latin understanding of a disturbance in gravitational forces
The Italian name for a poisonous plant
The Roman practice of separating families
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The word “disaster,” which we now generally apply to stressful, unfortunate events, originates from the Italian word “disastro,” which literally meant “ill star.” The word came from the Greek understanding that a bad alignment of stars and planets contributed to catastrophic events.

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Q 07 Fluent
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If someone is “fluent” in a language, what meaning does this attribution tap into?
Flowing easily, like a river
Filling up, like a glass
A sense of pride
A sense of hard work
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A speaker who is “fluent” in a language shares the original meaning of “flowing freely, like a river,” which the original Latin word contained. This sense of “fluid” and “river” adds texture and imagery to the concept of fluency — that language speakers can adapt and flow without effort in communication.

Q 08 Clue
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Which mythical story does the word “clue” owe its modern meaning to?
Prometheus and fire
Narcissus and Echo
Odysseus and the Cyclops
Theseus and the Minotaur
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

“Clue” used to mean “a ball of yarn.” The sense of the word shifted to mean anything giving an indication or direction in a complex situation, thanks to the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. In the myth, Ariadne gives Theseus a ball of yarn when he is sent into the labyrinth where the Minotaur dwells. He unwinds the yarn as he goes and is able to follow the clue to get out.

Q 09 Woman
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What is the original meaning of “woman”?
Companion
Female human being
Part-man
Sister
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In Old English, the word “woman” originally came from a compound of “wif,” woman, and “man,” human being. Oddly, the language joined together a word which already meant a female human to the masculine word for a human being.

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Q 10 Mermaid
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In which language does the name “mermaid” have its roots?
Old English
Arabic
Old French
Latin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The word “mermaid” has ancestors in Old English, in “merewif,” which meant water-witch. In Middle English, mermaid took on “maid,” which meant single woman. Early legends of mermaids have negative connotations, where the mermaids usually end up harming those they encounter.

Q 11 Buried
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When someone is “buried,” what other meanings go in the ground with them?
Stone foundation
Lost or confused
Shelter or protection
Doorway
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Old English word that eventually became “bury” was “byrgan,” “to enclose in a grave or tomb.” This word was related to the Proto-Germanic word, “beorgan,” “to shelter or protect.” The ancient word contains the meaning of sheltering the dead from the elements.

Q 12 Amateur
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What meaning does the modern use of the word “amateur” derive from?
Lover
Naïveté
Likeness
Frame
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

“Amateur,” a word that signals someone who is interested in an art form but is not a practitioner, comes from the Latin “amator” for “lover or friend.” Interestingly, the word, which originally showed love for something, now connotes a lack of expertise.

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Q 13 Heresy
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Which of the following meanings is related to the origins of the word “heresy”?
Hair
Sin
Decline
Choice
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

“Heresy” generally describes a view that departs from the accepted norms, usually of religious doctrines. The word came from the Greek word “haireses,” which meant choosing for yourself. Taking your own choice and departing from the norms is later seen as problematic in dogmatic settings.

Q 14 Nice
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If someone told you were a “nice” person in the 13th century, what would they be saying about you?
That you were kind
That you were attractive
That you were foolish
That you were brilliant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The word “nice” has morphed dramatically since the Middle Ages. In modern English, the word most nearly means “kind,” but in the 13th century, it carried the meaning of “foolish and ignorant.” The term became more ambiguous before making a shift toward the positive.

Q 15 Innocent
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Which elements make up the word “innocent”?
In — not, nocent — harm
In — inside, nocent — pure
In — inside, nocent — birth
In — without, nocent — sin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

“Innocent,” which usually means the state of being without guilt, is composed of the prefix in — not and the root nocent, from nocentum — harm. So, the original word has more to do with a state of not having done harm rather than being guilt-free in any legal sense.

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Q 16 Giddy about pumpkin spice
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If an Old English speaker said they were “giddy” about pumpkin spice season, how would people generally understand them?
The season gave them a feeling of elation.
The spice was like a natural dopamine.
The ever-present spice made them feel insane.
Smelling the spice all the time led to an intense hunger.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While today the word “giddy” connotes happiness to the point of being disoriented, it originally focused heavily on the disorientation, meaning “insane, mad, or stupid.” It could even be related to the state of being possessed. Since the 16th century, though, the meaning of happy elation has attached to the word.

Q 17 Hope
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What connotation did the word “hope” originally contain?
Theological
Biological
Mythical
Magical
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Even in Old English, the word “hope” has been filled with theological connotation, meaning a sense of confidence in the path of salvation. Only much later, around the 13th century, did the broader application of hope as a “wish” for something come into use.

Q 18 Ostracize
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Which object is associated with the origin of the word “ostracize”?
Ostrich egg
Pottery shard
Stone
Paper
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In Ancient Greece, the population used to vote on whether a person should be banished from the community by casting a vote on a piece of broken pottery called an “ostrakon.” If the community agreed that the person should be cast out, the person was then “ostracized.”

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Q 19 Loopholes
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These days we look for “loopholes” as ways to get out of the full extent of the law. What were they originally used for?
Protection for archers
Tying rope through
Fastening the gate of the fort
A window for prisoners
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

“Loopholes” now provide ways to avoid paying full taxes, but, back in the 13th century, they gave protection to archers who could shoot through the small hole in the fortress, leaving little opportunity for the enemy to shoot back.

Q 20 Weather
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Which aspect of the “weather” is the original word most closely connected to?
Heat
Cold
Wind
Rain
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The word “weather” has, from its Old English roots, described the “air, sky, breeze, or storm,” but its Proto-Germanic root, “wedra,” refers to “wind.” This makes sense, as the wind does bring in the changes in weather that humans experience.

Q 21 Holy
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Which early sense adhered to the earliest root of the word “holy”?
Sacred
Plentiful
Shining
Healthy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Since Christianity has had an influence on the language, even in Old English, the word “holy” has meant “sacred or consecrated, set apart.” Before Christianity left this imprint on the language, though, the term had more to do with “health” or wholeness, something which should be left intact.

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Q 22 Common
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What original meaning did the word “common” have?
Peasant
The plaza
Held together
Neighbor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

“Common,” which now can mean either something plain or something belonging to all or a group, comes from the Latin roots ko-moin-ni, meaning "held together." The sense of “plain” came in the 14th century and seems connected to the idea of just being one among many.

Q 23 War
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Which of the following meanings adhered to “war” in its original use?
Confuse
Kill
Harm
Starve
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Old English “wyrre” had the same meaning of “large-scale military conflict” that we associate with war today. Its Germanic ancestor, though, “verran,” meant “to confuse or perplex,” defining war by its effects rather than its actions.

Q 24 Lunatic
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What does the root word for “lunatic” show about early beliefs in the origins of insanity?
It was caused by diseases spread by ticks.
It was caused by the moon.
It was a result of hearing the call of the loon.
It was the result of eclipses.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The modern word, “lunatic,” which refers to an insane person, derives from the Latin “lunaticus,” meaning “moon-struck.” This word had connotations of insanity from its earliest origins and shows the early belief in an association between madness and moon phases. This connection also exists in Germanic and Greek languages.

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Q 25 Quick
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Which of these meanings predates the modern meaning of the word “quick”?
Upright
Light
Honest
Alive
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In Old English, if you were “cwic,” it wasn’t really a compliment, just a statement that your heart was beating. The modern meaning, though, has been associated with the word since the 12th century, when it took on the meaning of rapid, from the connection with being full of life.

Q 26 Dinner
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Which meal did the word “dinner” originally refer to?
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner (last meal of the day)
Second breakfast
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The word dinner, which some English speakers use to describe the final meal of the day, and others use for the mid-day meal, is related to the Latin “disjejeunare,” to break a fast, or breakfast. By the 13th century, it was used to describe the main meal of the day.

Q 27 Dunce
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Who did the derogatory name “Dunce” first apply to?
The court jester, Dunc
The reviled Don of Spain
Followers of Duns Scotus
A family in Italy known for their ignorance
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The derogatory appellation “dunce” has been used since the Renaissance to put down a person’s ability to think clearly. Originally, though, the meaning had a very specific target — followers of the philosopher Duns Scotus, whose ideas had fallen out of popularity.

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Q 28 In favor of the king
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If you were in the favor of the king in the Middle Ages, what was the likely cause?
Your intelligence
Your attractiveness
Your wealth
Your aptitude for battle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

“Favor,” a root of the word favorite, came to mean approval or praise by the 15th century. In the 13th century, though, the earlier use of the word referred to beauty or attraction. This draws a clear connection with the sources of praise and approval.

Q 29 Horse
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Which language family does the word “horse” originate from?
Germanic
Latin
Greek
West African
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

“Horse” remains essentially unchanged from the Old English, the Germanic word “hors.” Some scholars believe the word to come from the Proto-Indo-European root, “kers,” for "run," but this is not a certainty.

Q 30 Horror
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Which emotional reaction is at the root of the word “horror”?
Fear
Grief
Disgust
Shame
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Surprisingly, though the modern inflection of “horror” has to do with intense fear, the earliest meaning, in the 14th century, describes a feeling of “disgust.” From that feeling of shrinking back, the word morphed to mean the experience of dread. The fear elicited by horror has disgust at its root.

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Q 31 Elation
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If a person had a sense of “elation” in the earliest sense of the word, how would they be perceived?
As someone with overactive self-esteem
As someone with intense joy
As someone high on a mountain
As someone lost in their thoughts
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The world “elation,” which is commonly used to describe an experience of high spirits, originally referred to someone with a heightened sense of themself. The sense of arrogance shifted in the 18th century to mean lifted spirits.

Q 32 Hallucinate
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What action is the verb “hallucinate” related to in its original sense?
To wander in the mind
To slip into insanity
To get lost
To lose vision
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The verb “hallucinate,” which now means to experience something in the senses that is not actually there, derives from the Latin word, “alucinare,” to wander about in the mind, or to dream. It’s the original trip, in other words.

Q 33 Ineffables
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Which unlikely object was referred to by the plural of “ineffable”?
Dishes
Bras
Trousers
Socks
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The adjective “ineffable” describes that which cannot be described. In the original Latin, it means “not utterable.” Somehow, in the early 19th century, the word “ineffables” came to be used to describe trousers.

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Q 34 Epoch
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Before “epoch” described a period of time, what did it mean?
A day
Something held in place
A journey
Something to be determined
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

“Epoch” has meant a “fixed point in time” since its Greek origins. That original word comes from the Proto-Indo-European word, epi — on and ekhein — hold, or something held in place. The meaning of a period of time came about in the 17th century.

Q 35 Curfew
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In the earliest use of the word, if you hit your “curfew,” what would you have to do?
Put out the fire
Get home quickly
Make up a story about where you’ve been
Hide your friends
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the 14th century, the word “curfeu” referred to a signal that told everyone to put out their lights and fires. It literally meant “cover fire.” Lights out! The modern use of the word as a name for putting limits on where someone can be at certain hours dates back to the 19th century.

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