Everyday words are hiding very strange backstories. The Sole insists he speaks fluent Latin, the Apple is making up etymologies on the spot, and the Wiper has forgotten the word for 'word'. Let's dig in.
Word Origins Quiz: 10 Questions Most People Get Wrong
All the questions in this quiz
Hosting? Here they are. Answers are in the quiz above, or grab the printable pack.
- The word 'robot' comes from a Czech word meaning what?
- 'Quarantine' comes from the Italian for what?
- What does 'muscle' literally mean in Latin?
- The word 'window' literally means what in Old Norse?
- When 'nice' entered English in the 1300s, what did it mean?
- What does 'disaster' literally mean?
- When 'shampoo' first appeared in English in 1762, what did it mean?
- The word 'jumbo' became popular thanks to what?
- What does 'mortgage' literally mean?
- In the American Civil War, a 'deadline' was what?
Sources
- Where does the word 'robot' come from? (BBC Science Focus)
- quarantine (Online Etymology Dictionary)
- muscle (Online Etymology Dictionary)
- window (Online Etymology Dictionary)
- Nice etymology (The Etymology Nerd)
- In a Word: Disaster Is in the Stars (Saturday Evening Post)
- shampoo (Online Etymology Dictionary)
- jumbo (Online Etymology Dictionary)
- mortgage (Online Etymology Dictionary)
- In a Word: When Deadlines Were Dire (Saturday Evening Post)
Fact-checked 31 Oct 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it in public.
