All Questions
Tagged with single-word-requests etymology
106
questions
8
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5
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What is the term for the origin of a cliche?
From wiki sources :
A cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, even to the point of being trite ...
- 4,744
1
vote
1
answer
2k
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What do you call a pathway or hole made in a hedge or undergrowth by the track of an animal?
What is the word for a hole of pathway made by an animal in the hedgerow or undergrowth?
- 19
35
votes
14
answers
11k
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Feminism being referred to as equality for all, as opposed to equality for women [closed]
In a recent debate with a colleague, a self-proclaimed feminist, she described feminists as seeking equality for all, and not simply just women. I thought that this was inherently wrong considering ...
- 514
1
vote
1
answer
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Word and etymology for "small of one's back"
I've encountered the phrase small of one's back often when I was reading the Divergent series, and recently encountered it again on a Wikipedia article. I've searched its meaning on the internet, but ...
- 233
1
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1
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3k
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If pogonotrophy means to grow a beard, is there a term for shaving a beard?
If pogonotrophy means "to grow a beard", is there a term for shaving a beard?
How would you use pogonotrophy in a sentence? And if there is an antonym for this word, how would you use it in a ...
- 2,421
-1
votes
1
answer
111
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Trendline for historical usage of "prick" [closed]
How can I view one of those handy-dandy trend lines for the historical usage of the word "prick"? I am currently editing a book and need to know when and how (or how common) the use of the word was to ...
- 1
9
votes
6
answers
5k
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When did "phone" become accepted as its own word? When did phone start to replace 'phone?
In older print publications, I have come across telephone shortened to 'phone, with an apostrophe to mark where the beginning of the word had been omitted. Now, however, phone does not need an ...
- 11.9k
2
votes
1
answer
1k
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Term for a word with opposite meaning to its root?
I remember coming across a term for a word which has an opposite (or at least very different) meaning from its etymological root word's meaning. Does anyone know what this term is?
- 21
0
votes
1
answer
708
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Fruitful? Fruitless? Fruitempty? Fruitmore? [closed]
I notice that the word fruitful's opposite is fruitless.
It's kind of bizarre. Figuratively speaking, if the activity produces no fruit, it is fruit-less. But if it does produce fruit, shouldn't it ...
- 133
0
votes
1
answer
105
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A noun for phenomenon experienced by wave-particle duality
We have known for centuries that elementary particles exhibit both wave and particle properties. Does the English Language have a word that describes this wave-particle duality?
- 299
7
votes
4
answers
23k
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Just as there are a few nicknames for the U.S. ("Uncle Sam", "Columbia", "Yankee Land"), are there nicknames for England, or the U.K. for that matter?
This may look like General Reference, but I've googled "list of nicknames for England", "list of nicknames for the United Kingdom", and all I got was "list of city nicknames in the United Kingdom" or "...
- 50.2k
11
votes
3
answers
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Duane "Dog" Chapman, what is the word for the part in quotes between forename and surname?
Apologies if this has been asked before, I found it quite difficult to phrase what I meant!
As the question title states:
Duane "Dog" Chapman.
What is the correct word to describe the part that is ...
- 693
14
votes
6
answers
2k
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Best etymological calque of the word Schadenfreude
This question is purely theoretical (i.e. I don't foresee actually trying to use the word), but using arguments based on etymology, as well as euphony and (least importantly) comprehensibility, what ...
- 351
30
votes
3
answers
23k
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What word can I use instead of "tomorrow" that is not connected with the idea of the rising sun?
I'm working on a novel while trying to take into account the historical context surrounding it. It begins in 1140 AD, so the characters would use Old English, Latin, Old French, and other similar ...
- 490
0
votes
1
answer
284
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Drinks Shirley - Slang for overhead dispenser? [closed]
In a TV series, a man from London (living in Canada) asked for the house bar using the word "Drinks Shirley".
What does it mean exactly? Is it this kind of dispenser?
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