An estimated 60% of the English language has Greek or Latin roots, and that rises to 90% in science and technology vocabulary. Some of these Latin connections have retained a direct translation, such as “alibi” (an excuse) or “extra” (something additional). Other Latin word origins are full of surprises. The word “noon,” for example, meant the 9th hour of the day (about 3 p.m. to us), and “disaster” was tied to astronomy. Let’s learn more about Latin words and their unusual transitions into the English lexicon.
Ostracized: Oysters
Ostracize comes from the Latinized form of the Greek word ostrakizein, meaning “to banish.” “Ostracism” (the noun for this type of exclusion) was the legal method that ancient Athenians used to banish people via public vote. These votes were tallied using tiles, broken pieces of ceramic, pebbles, or shells, called ostrakon. This is where the English word for “oyster” comes from.
Muscle: Mice
The English word “muscle” comes from Latin musculus meaning “little mouse.” Before the modern understanding of anatomy and physiology, people described the movement of certain muscles (probably the biceps) as resembling mice scurrying around under the skin. The modern definition related to bundles of fibrous tissue, not the rodent, has been in use since the 14th century.
Disaster: Stars
Disaster was written in the stars, according to ancient beliefs. Today, a “disaster” is a calamitous event. But when the word entered English in the 16th century, it was created from the Latin prefix dis-, meaning “ill,” and astro, meaning “star.” While some people today still assign importance to their astrological signs, thousands of years ago, there were much stronger beliefs that the stars and planets predicted and impacted events. The terms “star-crossed” and “ill-starred” are also related to “disaster.”
Tragedy: Goat Song
What do singing goats have to do with “tragedy”? The English word comes from the Greek tragos (goat) and ōidē (song). To understand the relationship between the term and its origin, we turn to the theater. The modern definition covers any type of unfortunate event, but the earlier English usage of “tragedy” only related to theater. From the late 14th century, it was used to describe a play with an unfortunate ending (e.g. a Shakespearean tragedy). There are a few theories as to how goats became connected to theater, but the most likely reason is that ancient actors/singers would wear goatskins to represent satyrs (goat-like mythological creatures).
Nice: Ignorant or Unaware
“Nice” has gone through several rebrandings over the centuries. Today, it has positive connotations as a synonym for “pleasant.” However, in the late 13th century, it meant “foolish or senseless,” which came from Old French nice which could mean “simple,” “foolish,” or “careless.” All of these definitions stem from Latin nescius meaning “ignorant or unaware,” nearly the opposite of “nice” today.
Salary: Salt
Salt was so important in ancient trade that it became a legal tender, often used to pay soldiers their yearly wages. Sal is Latin for “salt,” and the English word “salary” comes from Latin salarius, meaning “pertaining to salt or yearly revenue from the sale of salt.” The French were the first to adopt the word, using salaire as a synonym for “wages.”
Noon: 3 p.m.
Today, noon is midday, but in Old English the word non meant “the ninth hour from sunrise” (around 3 p.m. using a modern clock). It came from the Latin nona hora, which meant “ninth hour.” Around the 12th century, the use of non shifted from 3 p.m. to 12 p.m. (as it is today). There are many theories as to why this switch happened, including unreliable time-keeping or seasonal daylight changes. During holy holidays, fasts were broken at non, so that might have been enough incentive to bump it up a few hours. Whatever the reason, by the 14th century, the shift was officially cemented into the English language.
Sinister: Left Side
“Sinister” has an ancient connection to the left side. It comes from the Latin sinister, which meant “on the left side,” but also came to mean “unlucky or evil.” In ancient Greece, omens or signs (especially birds) that were seen from the left side were believed to be unfavorable, and sinister gained its superstitious negative connotation. Today, “sinister” still means harmful or evil, but left-handers don’t have to carry around that reputation.
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