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Word History is a weekly 15 minute etymology podcast by Etymoleon, dedicated to uncovering the history behind words and names. Each episode unveils the journey of words and their connections to various languages such as Old English, Ancient Greek, Latin, Old French, Proto-Germanic and many more. Episodes also highlight historical events related to the topic and terms explored. New episodes every Sunday. If you like etymology try Derivety, a daily word game by Etymoleon. Can you guess the wor ...
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Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast

Shauna Harrison, Dan Pugh

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Welcome to our whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase. Each week, we delve into the origins of phrases to find out how they came into the English language. We tell the story of how the phrase got from its beginnings to where it is today. Shauna and Dan are two big nerds, so expect some geek culture references, random trivia facts, and loads of laughs!
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Daily Funny Word History

Daily Funny Word History

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Volley.FM presents Daily Funny Word History A fun, daily podcast that will help expand your vocabulary knowledge, learn common English colloquialisms, useful words, definitions, origins (etymology), and examples of how to use them. American English is full of very weird words, expressions, phrases, and slang. But how often do we use a word without knowing what it really means or where it came from? Words and phrases like ghetto, funk, stool pigeon, or kick the bucket? We use these all the ti ...
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In this episode, we tune in to the origins of television terms. TV broadcasts date back to the late 1920s, but the first remote control, a wired device called the "lazy bones", arrived in the 1950s. The phrase "jump the shark" originated from an episode of Happy Days in the 1970s, though it only gained popularity two decades later. The word binge s…
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This time, we're going around the world of words tied to the British Empire, from terms of governance like dominion, protectorate and territory to words describing those settling new lands, such as coloniser, imperialist and conquistador. Discover how Australia, Jamaica, Pakistan, Trinidad and America got their names, and learn about the English fa…
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This episode uncovers the etymologies behind the names of style icons from screen, stage, catwalk and beyond. Looking into Karl Lagerfeld's last name reveals the reason we call beer lager, while a cabaret song inspired Coco Chanel's iconic moniker. Lenny Kravitz's surname traces back to Slavic roots, and Rihanna's name has roots in either Welsh or …
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This episode delivers the origins of words related to pregnancy. IVF is a common term today, but early media reports often used the phrase test tube baby, which predates the 1970s when in-vitro fertilisation first emerged. Discover how the term folic, for the B vitamin, connects to the word for leaves, and why preeclampsia traces back to an ancient…
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In this episode, we scrub up the origins of cleaning-related words. The English towns of West Bromwich and Castle Bromwich share an etymology with a term for sweeping floors, while laundry has roots connected to lavatory. The phrase spick-and-span is believed to have nautical origins, just like the word squeegee. Learn who invented the vacuum clean…
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This time, we're weighing the evidence behind the origins of words related to justice. The word dock is thought to trace back to a term for a chicken coop, while the Latin root of innocent links to the word noxious. Discover why we use the term panel for both jurors and conference speakers, and how adjourned is connected diary entries. We also exam…
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This episode is all about words that are their own opposites. Clip can mean both to trim and to attach, while refrain can mean to hold back or to repeat something endlessly. We also explore words that have flipped meanings over time; egregious once meant remarkably good, but now means shockingly bad, and villain has undergone a similar transformati…
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This time, we're hitting all the right notes as we explore the origins and meanings of names through the lens of female singers. Shania Twain, Celine Dion and Alanis Morissette share a distant relative, but only one of them carries a version of his surname. Kylie became a popular name in Australia, inspired by an Indigenous Australian word for a bo…
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In this episode, we dig deep into the grave origins of words related to death. The term eulogy comes from ancient Greek and etymologically translates to 'good words' while euthanasia means 'good death'. An executor ensures that the wishes in a will are fulfilled, deriving from a Latin word meaning 'to follow', which also gives us the word sequence.…
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A lean, tall clock stops the moment its owner dies. Is it an episode of The Twilight Zone or the catalyst for the term "Grandfather Clock?" Bonus - The talent of Sam Lucas, plus Knickerbockers! Outro Song: My Grandfathers Clock by H.C. Work, Arranged and performed by Michael Pugh, Shauna Harrison, Dan Pugh. Originally Aired February 23, 2022 Copyri…
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This episode takes a look at the origins of autumn/fall related terms, from harvest and foliage to Halloween and the months September, October and November. Find out why the school year starts in September, when fireworks became an autumn tradition, and what was originally burned in bonfires. We also explore the autumnal colours of ochre, amber and…
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This episode traces the origins of soft drinks, many of which began life marketed as health remedies. We start with Joseph Priestley's discovery, which was crucial to the production of carbonated drinks. Learn how Coca-Cola got its name from its historic ingredients, and how Red Bull is a translation of a Thai beverage. The term seltzer traces back…
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This episode unlaces the origins of terms for different types of footwear. Plimsolls owe their name to a British politician, while sneakers got theirs from the idea of wearers sneaking around unnoticed. Persian soldiers inspired European nobles to adopt high heels, which were practical for standing in stirrups; the term stiletto, referring to a lon…
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This episode explores the origins and meanings of names beginning with D. Dorothy shares its etymology with Theodore, both names implying their bearers are 'God's gift'. The surname Dior as seen in the brand Christian Dior, traces back to a French word that also gives us the 'D'Or' in the British ice cream brand Carte D'Or. Find out how names synon…
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In this episode, we get into the language of ageing, uncovering the surprising origins and histories behind words like geriatric, sage, pensioner and senior - a term originally used to distinguish fathers from their sons before taking on additional meanings. We also explore the darker side of language, revealing the connection between the word 'cro…
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This week Shauna and Dan discover that Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast is the bee's knees! Or at least we think so. It turns out, these two words together have had many meanings over the years before turning into something great. Bonus: Babe Ruth, Alanis Morissette, and the answer to everyone's question: Do bee's even have knees? Copyright 202…
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This podcast is celebrating its first anniversary, thank you for listening and subscribing. In this episode, we explore the etymology of expressions of gratitude, tracing the origins of words like thanks, grateful, blessed and applaud. Clapping is a common gesture of appreciation, but the word clap also has a secondary meaning related to infection.…
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This episode gets into the origins of musical instrument names, from the guitar and ukulele to the harmonica, saxophone, drum and more. Learn how the saxophone got its name from its inventor, whose surname, Sax, is locational, tracing to Saxony. The Theremin is another instrument named after its creator. Discover Benjamin Franklin's surprising conn…
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This episode uncovers etymology related to the pharmaceutical industry. Learn how Ozempic and Tylenol got their names, as well as pharmaceutical giants like Roche and Pfizer. Pfizer, for instance, is an occupational surname rooted in a Latin word meaning "baker". Find out how a male enhancement drug might be named after a Sanskrit word meaning "tig…
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In this episode, we uncover the origins of words related to the summer season, such as sweltering, holiday, barbecue and scorching. Learn about the dahlia, a flower of the British summer season, named after Swedish botanist Anders Dahl, who shares a surname with the famous author Roald Dahl. The name means "valley" with the English variant being "d…
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This episode explores the origins and meanings of names popular with royalty. Discover why the nickname of a 10th century Nordic king lives on in the 20th century technology term Bluetooth. Learn how the name Harry, a pet form of Henry, traces back to the French pronunciation during the Middle English period. We also look into the ancient Greek roo…
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RETRO This week Shauna and Dan travel to Gettysburg to explore Civil War slang. They Acknowledge the Corn after they try to come the gum game, all while staying fit as a fiddle so they can see the elephant. BONUS: Learn how hardtack was like twinkies! #BunnyTrails Originally Aired August 7, 2019 Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved…
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This episode gets into the origins of sleep-related terminology. Starting with how synonyms for sleep such as rest, nap, slumber and ZZZs entered the English language, we explain a theory as to why it's "forty winks" instead of twenty, thirty or fifty. Learn why the Old English word for snore is connected to rooting for someone to win, and why Aust…
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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Reach Across the Aisle. Dan says it might be the most boring origin story they've ever done - seating charts. There's also a similar phrase in the United Kingdom. Bonus: Taylor Swift, Rock Churches, and one guy who watched 1,413 hours of the US House of Representatives meetings. Oof. Copyright 2024 All R…
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In this episode, we explore the stories behind the names of some of the world's most iconic landmarks and the etymology of the words used. We examine Big Ben, the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Gherkin, Burj Khalifa and more. Also uncovered are the origins and meanings of the names of architects associated with …
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RETRO: Shauna and Dan take a cool drink of gourd water this week as they explore the phrase Cool as a Cucumber. We learn Dan abhors cucumbers unless they've been drowned in vinegar and he dislikes some of the previous words for cucumbers. It seems some old-timey folks disliked them, too. Bonus discussion: is cereal a soup? Copyright 2024 by The Rea…
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This time we're looking into the origins of global corporations, exploring the etymology of their brand names and uncovering snippets of their histories. Some corporate names are derived from everyday words (Microsoft, Apple, Shell) and others from their founders' names (Audi, JP Morgan, Toyota). Learn why a payment provider's name also means trave…
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This week Shauna and Dan look at the phrase, "Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades", which is way more modern than Dan thought. Also, Shauna points out Clydesdale horses bring their own Ugg boots to the party, while Dan notes that trebuchets are the superior siege engines. Bonus: Shippy Shippers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the…
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