Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Linguist Gareth Roberts joins WIRED to answer the internet's burning questions about the etymologies of English words. How did the ...

For years, social media users have claimed that the word "freelance" originates from a medieval term for a mercenary warrior. Other examples of the rumor have appeared elsewhere on X. This claim is ...

We often hear fascinating stories about how things originated: the universe, the wheel, even pizza. But when it comes to the words we toss around every single day without a second thought, it’s wild ...

They're known as man's best friends, fur babies, pooches. But the most widely used word for these beloved animals — "dog" — is also a great linguistic mystery. "The most everyday, commonplace words ...