pejoration

How ‘Spinster’ Became an Insult

The word 'spinster' didn't always evoke images of a lonely old maid. It originally meant a woman who spun thread…

6 days ago

How Words Go Bad: The Science of Pejoration

Why did "silly" once mean "blessed," and "villain" just mean "farmhand"? This post explores pejoration, the fascinating linguistic process where…

5 months ago

Biography of a Word: The Journey of ‘Assassin’

Discover the dramatic history of the word 'assassin,' a term born from a mysterious medieval sect in the mountains of…

5 months ago

The Euphemism Treadmill: Why We Can’t Stop Inventing New Words for Old Taboos

Ever wonder why we have a dozen words for the toilet? This is the "euphemism treadmill," a linguistic cycle where…

5 months ago

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