The origin of words and dictionaries

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The origin of words and dictionaries

The origin of dictionaries and words 

Lexical fields

A never-ending task...

Which "new" words
do you know?

Archaic language

Language that is no longer in everyday use. 

Where might we still find this language?

What do these words mean?

aye - yes

behold - see or observe

betwixt - between

bruit - spread rumors

commend - entrust

degree - social rank

doth - do

fair - beautiful

forsooth - Indeed

knave - a dishonest man

morrow - tomorrow

nay - no

thee/ thou - you

Etymology

The study of word origins and 

derivations in historical linguistics.

Pick a word and look up its etymology.

assassin - avocado - jacuzzi - quarantine - sandwich

assassin - early 16th century: from French, from Italian assassino, from Arabic ḥašīšī ‘member of Nizari branch of Ismaili Muslims’, literally ‘hashish-eater’, probably originally a derogatory nickname, with reference to the supposedly erratic behaviour of the members of the sect, as if they were intoxicated by hashish.

avocado - The name avocado derives from the Nahuatl word ahuacatl, which refers to a certain part of the male anatomy that the shape of avocados happen to resemble (we're keeping this G-rated, folks).

jacuzzi - named after Candido Jacuzzi ( c. 1903–86), Italian-born American inventor.

quarantine - The name is from the Venetian policy (first enforced in 1377) of keeping ships from plague-stricken countries waiting off its port for 40 days to assure that no latent cases were aboard.

sandwich - named after the 4th Earl of Sandwich (1718–92), an English nobleman said to have eaten food in this form so as not to leave the gaming table.

Lexical field

A set of words grouped by 

meaning round a specific 

subject, e.g. law, or medicine.

Provide words relating
to the stages of life

stages of life

new-born young adult

infant adult

nursling, suckling grown up person

baby, babe middle aged person

child, kid senior citizen

toddler, tot mature person

preschooler aged person

youngster senior citizen, senior

adolescent old {lady, man, person}

youth sexagenarian

lad/lass septuagenarian

preteen octogenarian

teenager, teen nonagenarian

juvenile, minor centenarian