Dord, the Diglot, and an Avocado or Two: The Hidden Lives and Strange Origins of Common and Not-So-Common Words

The founder of Wordsmith.org explores the fascinating origins and history behind more than three hundred words, names, terms, and phrases, including the etymology of such items as deipnosophist, philomath, illeist, accismus, petrichor, and more. Original. 35,000 first printing.

From the creator of the popular A.Word.A.Day e-mail newsletter A collection of some of the most interesting stories and fascinating origins behind more than 300 words, names, and terms by the founder of WordSmith.org. Did you know: Theres a word for the pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell? "Petrichor," combining "petros" (Greek for "stone") and "ichor" (the fluid that flows in the veins of Greek gods). An "illeist" is one who refers to oneself in the third person. Theres a word for feigning lack of interest in something while actually desiring it: "accismus," For any aspiring "deipnosophist" (a good conversationalist at meals) or devoted "Philomath" (a lover of learning), this anthology of entertaining etymology is an ideal way to have fun while getting smarter.

Introduction		ix
Hidden Lives of Everyday Words		1	(10)
Didn't You Just Make This Up?		11	(8)
Tasty Words		19	(12)
People Who Became Words		31	(12)
There Is Even a Word for That		43	(12)
Fictional Characters Who Came Alive		55	(10)
You Have Changed!		65	(8)
Dickensian Characters Who Became Words		73	(10)
Words to Describe People: Insults		83	(8)
Streets That Became Metaphors		91	(6)
How Do You Measure the Warmth of Clothes?		97	(12)
Places That Became Words		109	(14)
Lexicographer, There Is a Fly in My Language!		123	(8)
Words About Words and Languages		131	(12)
It's All a Myth		143	(14)
Ultimately We Are All Related: The Story of Indo-European		157	(8)
These Sound Good---Let's Copy Them!		165	(5)
Answers to Puzdes		170	(7)
Acknowledgments		177	(1)
Index of Terms		178