Discover the fascinating linguistic history of names turned insults, such as "Karen" and "Quisling." Explore the intriguing story behind the

Never thought you'd read that title, eh? No, The College Board has not implemented some kind of Hunger Games -style exit questionnaire, but the story is equally shocking! The book of Judges , in the Old Testament of the Bible, tells the story of a battle between the Ephraimites and the Gileadites. Having won the battle, the Gileadites decided they didn’t want any survivors to make it home, so they set up checkpoints along the Jordan River. Anyone who wanted to pass was asked

Would you believe me if I told you that the word “money,” something so valued and coveted, actually traces its roots back to a flock of geese? In episode 36 of the Vocabbett podcast, we dive into the “mon” root and some of its derivatives, words like “premonition” and “monetize.” You won’t believe the route this root has taken! : ) Plus, it’s a great place to start your study of etymology. If you prefer, I also made a little video with some pictures!

There are two sides to the coin when it comes to using stories to improve your vocabulary. If you’re a seasoned Vocabbett listener, you’re probably familiar with the first: I write stories and weave “big” words into them. Like immersion for learning a foreign language, this immerses you in the world of SAT words, painlessly and passively boosting your vocabulary. But there's another side: starting with the "big" word, and hearing its story. The study of etymology is magical

“Wow, that’s really manly of you, to be such a good person!” – Ancient Romans As we continue our study of etymology, it may amuse (annoy? probably not surprise…) you to find sneaky double meanings in many English words, many of which are rather sexist. For instance, since the Latin root “vir” meant “man,” many of our “vir” words have an element of “manliness” built into them. Are you virtuous? Well, if you’re a man, that means you’re a good man. And if you’re a woman? You’re