Like all of us, every word has a story to share, if we’re willing to listen. Etymology is an art which allow us to relate to our words. Not as tools for gain, but as partners in healing the world. This new year, become an etymologist. Fall in love with your every word.

The word ELECTRIC was first coined in 1600 by physicist William Gilbert as Modern Latin electricus (literally "resembling amber"). The word comes from Greek ēlektron ("amber"), because when amber is rubbed against cloth it generates static electricity.

Here’s an awesome word origin for all you photographers ("light-writers") out there. #etymology #fromthearchives

Ahoy! Today's #etymology is "opportunity," which comes from the Latin phrase "ob portum veniens," meaning “coming toward a port” (from ob “toward” + portus “port”). And as any sailor will tell you, opportunities are all about how you use the wind...

Intelligence isn't how much you "know". Intelligence is the power to make the choice right in front of you.

Did you know that the word ‘astronaut’ literally means "star sailor"? It comes from Greek astro- "star" + nautes "sailor"). #etymology #fromthearchives

Need more proof that #etymology is magic? The word 'fascinate' comes from Latin fascinātus, past participle of fascināre, which literally means to "cast a spell on".

What's the #etymology behind the #coronavirus? The word 'corona' comes from Latin, and literally means a "crown". The name 'Coronavirus' refers to the fact that the virus has crown-like spikes which protrude from its membranes. 👑

Here's some #etymology for the times. The word "quarantine" literally means "forty days," and refers to the 17th century practice of requiring ships from plague-stricken countries to wait outside the port, isolated for 40 days as a prevention against epidemic.

Did you know the word 'lady' literally means "bread-kneader"? It comes from the Old English roots hlāf (“bread, loaf”) + dīġe (“kneader”). So what about all you "lords" out there? Well, "lord' comes from Old English hlāfweard, which literally means... "bread-keeper".

The word 'juggernaut' (n.) is derived from Sanskrit Jagannath, meaning "lord of the world" (from jagata "world" + natha "lord"). Jagannath is one of the names of Krishna found in the Sanskrit epics.

Here's some spooky #etymology. 'Mortgage' literally means "death pledge" (from Old French mort "dead" + gage "pledge"). Interestingly, this doesn't refer to an owner's death, but the contract itself. Either you pay it off and the debt "dies", or your claim to ownership does. ☠️

The word 'rosemary' comes from Latin rosmarinus, which literally means "dew of the sea" (from ros "dew" + marinus "of the sea, maritime). Ros comes from the PIE root *ers-, meaning "to be wet", and marinus comes from the PIE root *mori-, meaning "body of water". #etymology

If you are healing, you are literally "becoming whole" again. Heal comes from Proto-Germanic *hailjan, “to make whole,” from PIE *kailo- “whole”.

Ever wonder about the #etymology of the word 'etymology'? It comes from the Greek word etymologia, which literally means "study of the true sense (of a word)", from -logia "study of" + etymon "true sense." Entomology? That's the study of insects.

The word 'ukulele' literally means "leaping flea" (from Hawaiian 'uku "flea" + lele "to leap"). This might refer to the "leaping" of fingers, or come straight from the nickname of Edward Purvis, a "lively" Hawaiian court official who was an early adopter of the instrument.

The word 'vaccine' was coined in 1796 by British physician Edward Jenner for his method of preventing smallpox by injecting people with the cowpox virus. The #etymology? Sure enough, 'vaccine' literally means "of or from a cow", from Latin vaccinus, from vacca "cow."

The word 'enhance' comes from Late Latin inaltare, which means to "raise, elevate," from altare "make high," from altus "high", which literally means "grown tall."🌲

The word 'discuss' literally means "to shake apart" (from Latin discuss- "dashed to pieces", from the verb discutere, from dis- "apart" + quatere "shake".) Our modern sense of the word ("converse, debate") developed in the mid-15th century. #etymology

If you've ever had your work copied or stolen by someone else, then you'll understand today's #etymology. The word 'plagiarism' literally means "a kidnapping" (from Latin plagiarius “kidnapper,” from plagium “a kidnapping,” from plaga “snare, hunting net”).