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Word of the Day – The Etymology of English Words

Word of the Day – The Etymology of English Words

Compiled from the world-renowned Collins English Dictionary, Word of the Day will clear many a doubt you might have, increase your word power, and entertain you even as you learn. It’s a book to dip into every day of the year.

English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. But have you ever considered how many words it has borrowed from other languages? Learn the origins of these 14 commonly-used English words:

AVATAR (Sanskrit)

ˈævəˌtɑː
noun
1. Hinduism: The manifestation of a deity, notably Vishnu, in human, superhuman, or animal form
2. a visible manifestation or embodiment of an abstract concept; archetype
3. a movable image that represents a person in a virtual reality environment or in cyberspace

BAZAAR (Persian)

bəzɑːʳ
noun
1. In areas such as the Middle East and India, a bazaar is a place where there are many small shops and stalls.

Kamal was a vendor in Egypt’s open-air bazaar.

2. A bazaar is a sale to raise money for charity

…a church bazaar.

CANYON (Spanish)

/ˈkanjən/
noun
1. a deep gorge, typically one with a river flowing through it, as found in North America

CARTOON (Italian)

kɑːʳtuːn

noun

1. A cartoon is a humorous drawing or series of drawings in a newspaper or magazine.
…a cartoon strip in the Daily Mirror.
2. See also strip cartoon
3. A cartoon is a film in which all the characters and scenes are drawn rather than being real people or objects.

CHUTZPAH (Yiddish)

hʊtspə
noun
1. If you say that someone has chutzpah, you mean that you admire the fact that they are not afraid or embarrassed to do or say things that shock, surprise, or annoy other people.

COOKIE (Dutch)

kʊki

noun

1. A cookie is a sweet biscuit.
2. A cookie is data sent from a website and stored on your computer which allows websites to record your browsing activity and remember information.

ENTREPRENEUR (French)

ɒntrəprənɜːʳ

noun

1. An entrepreneur is a person who sets up businesses and business deals.

KARAOKE (Japanese)

kærioʊki

noun

1. Karaoke is a form of entertainment in which a machine plays the tunes of songs, and people take it in turns to sing the words.

KETCHUP (Chinese)

ketʃʌp

noun

1. Ketchup is a thick, cold sauce, usually made from tomatoes, that is sold in bottles.

KINDERGARTEN (German)

kɪndəʳgɑːʳtən

noun

1. A kindergarten is an informal kind of school for very young children, where they learn things by playing.
She’s in kindergarten now.

METROPOLIS (Greek)  

mətrɒpəlɪs
noun
1. A metropolis is the largest, busiest, and most important city in a country or region.
…the bustling metropolis of Chengdu.

PYJAMAS (Hindi)

pɪdʒɑːməz
noun
1. A pair of pyjamas consists of loose trousers and a loose jacket that people wear in bed.

SAFARI (Arabic)

səfɑːri
noun
1. A safari is a trip to observe or hunt wild animals, especially in East Africa.
He’d like to go on safari to photograph snakes and tigers.

SOFA (Turkish)                    

soʊfə
noun
1. A sofa is a long, comfortable seat with a back and usually with arms, which two or three people can sit on.

If you found yourself fuzzy on the meaning of some of these words, then don’t even think about it twice – get your copy of Word of the Day today!

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