This podcast returns in September 2025.

This time we're tracing the origins of Italian sauce, pasta, pizza and dish names. There are various theories as to why puttanesca shares its name with an Italian word for 'a woman of ill repute', but the etymology of ragù, which is linguistically connected to the word disgusting, is more straightforward. Ciabatta may appear traditional, but it was actually created in the 1980s, and its name is linked to feet. Surprisingly, lasagne might have English roots; a layered pasta and cheese dish called Loseyns appears in a 14th-century English cookbook. Find out why pineapple-and-ham pizza is called Hawaiian, and how the mozzarella, tomato and basil combination came to be named Margherita. Also featured are the origins of pasta names including pappardelle, tagliatelle, farfalle and cannelloni.

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This episode traces the meanings and origins of names beginning with F, through the lens of historical figures connected to mythology, politics, innovation and the beauty industry. Falguni Nayar, the billionaire founder of India's largest beauty e-commerce platform, has a name rooted in time, like May, Autumn or Sunday. Freya, now a popular baby name in England and Wales, is tied to a Norse goddess and shares linguistic roots with German and Dutch terms for women. Also explored are the names of political figures such as Fatima Jinnah, Fania Mindell and Fidel Castro, whose Latin-derived name means faithful. The episode also looks into the etymologies of Forseti, Ferdinand and Florence.

This episode looks at terms connected to making assumptions, starting with the often-cited origin of the phrase "when you assume, you make an ass out of u/you and me". The word bias originally referred to a diagonal line, while projection comes from roots meaning to throw forward. Occam’s Razor is a principle that favours the simplest explanation, and Simpson’s Paradox highlights how data can be misleading. The episode also examines how mistaken assumptions about animals gave rise to expressions like 'seeing red' and 'wise as an owl'.

This episode looks into the language of tabloid journalism, starting with the surprising pharmaceutical origins of the word tabloid itself. The British Daily Mail and Daily Mirror were the first newspapers to adopt the format, offering condensed news in both style and content. They were both founded by Alfred Harmsworth. Find out why gossip is called "tea", how the word gossip has roots in godparents, and why press photographers came to be known as paparazzi. Also examined are the origins of terms for sources of information, including snitch, rat and whistleblower.

This time we're looking at terms related to independence and free will, as Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day. The episode opens with a brief look at the events leading to America's break from Britain, followed by the origins of words like declaration, independent and sovereign. We also look at countries such as Sri Lanka, Belize and Zimbabwe, which changed their names after gaining greater independence. Belize's former British name came via Spanish and referenced the surrounding waters. Learn how the word bondage is related to husband, and uncover the unexpected linguistic connection between defying convention and dentistry.

This episode traces the origins of words for the places we eat, from the soupy history that gave us restaurant to the unknown roots of bistro, which entered English in the early 20th century, and brasserie, with its connection to beer. Discover the links between parlours and politicians, and how the word batch has its origins in baking. Find out why a military dining area is called a mess, and how buffet is tied to furniture. You'll also learn the meaning behind Mixue, the Chinese bubble tea chain that has overtaken McDonald's in outlet numbers, and the cultural confusion that gave us the phrase 'Going Dutch'.

This time we're uncovering the origins of espionage-related terms, from bug, alias, and surveillance to eavesdrop and secret, tracing how they entered the English language (and words they are related to). Staying under the radar is a classic spy skill - the word radar began as an acronym for radio detecting and ranging. Discover why James Bond's watch of choice is named Omega, and learn about the earlier names and organisations that eventually became MI5 and the CIA, the British and American intelligence services. Also explored are the English terms that shares linguistic roots with the French jeu de cache-cache and the Spanish el escondite, both names for the childhood game hide and seek.

This episode takes a look at terms and phrases that trace back to biblical roots. To "wash your hands of something/someone" has origins linked to the crucifixion, while a commonly misquoted phrase about money also comes from the Bible. Ancient towns mentioned in biblical texts have given rise to modern English terms (one of which remains controversial), and a queen's name has become a label for an immoral woman. The word missionary refers to spreading the word of God, and its more adult meaning surprisingly stems from the same origin. Listen to learn how the term scapegoat originates from a religious ritual involving real goats.

This episode looks at the origins of names used in common sayings, uncovering the theories behind how these phrases came about and tracing the names to their historical linguistic roots. Gordon Bennett is linked to the son of a newspaper entrepreneur, while Flash Harry may have been inspired by a well-known conductor. The phrase Bob's your uncle could have ties to a popular music hall song from the early 20th century. Jack the Lad refers to a real historical figure whose reckless lifestyle led to an early demise — find out how Jack became a familiar form of the name John. A saintly person might be playfully called Mother Teresa; listen to uncover the meaning behind her real birth name.

This episode is all about size, tracing the origins of words related to 'bigness' such as massive, monumental, enormous and gigantic. Discover how gargantuan and Brobdingnagian have literary beginnings, and how juggernaut and jumbo are thought to stem from Indian and West African rituals. Learn why the word for aubergine differs across regions, with Americans calling it eggplant, and hear about the largest one on record weighing in at nearly 4 kilograms. Also explored are the roots of terms used to describe larger body types, including portly, voluptuous, buxom and chubby.