Origins in Five

Why do we call it influenza—and how did the flu get a name connected to the stars? In this episode of Origins in Five, we trace the word from medieval Latin and Italian belief in celestial “influence” to the modern illness we know today.

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Did sabotage really come from French workers throwing wooden shoes into factory machines? In this episode of Origins in Five, we unpack the famous story, why it’s probably a myth, and the more revealing origin behind a word that began with clumsy work, slowdowns, and deliberate resistance.

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In this episode of Origins in Five, we trace the surprising history of the word awful. Once a word of reverence and fear—closely related to awesome—it slowly drifted from sacred praise to everyday insult.

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Where did the word gaslight come from? In this episode of Origins in 5, we trace the term back to a 1938 stage thriller and the eerie image of dimming lamps used to make someone doubt their own mind.

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In this episode of Origins in Five, we trace the surprising history of the word gossip. What now means rumor, scandal, and private talk once referred to a trusted godparent or close companion present at childbirth.

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What does a roof have to do with secretly listening in on someone else’s conversation? In this episode of Origins in Five, we trace the word eavesdrop from medieval houses and dripping rainwater to gossip, spying, and the legal records of early modern England. 

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Why does dunce mean a slow learner when it came from the name of a brilliant medieval scholar? In this episode of Origins in Five, we trace the strange journey from John Duns Scotus to the insult dunce—and the sad history behind the dunce cap.

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Why do we call it a sandwich? In this episode of Origins in Five, we trace the word back to John Montague, the Earl of Sandwich, and the famous story of a meal designed for long hours at the card table.  

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Why does island have an S that nobody says? In this episode of Origins in Five, we trace the word back through Old English and Middle English to uncover how a mistaken link to French and Latin gave island a silent letter it was never meant to have.

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In this episode of Origins in Five, we trace the surprising history of the word silhouette. What sounds elegant today began as a mocking reference to a French finance minister associated with austerity, thrift, and cheapness before becoming a word for shadowy beauty.

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