Etymology quiz
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What celestial object forms the root of "disaster"?
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More questions about Etymology
These visible examples show the question style. LearnClash turns the full topic into ranked duels and spaced repetition.
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What does "hippopotamus" literally mean in Greek?
Answer: River horse
Why: Hippopotamus combines the Greek words for horse and river, sharing a root with Mesopotamia.
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What word describes swapping a phrase for a plausible sound-alike?
Answer: Eggcorn
Why: Linguist Geoffrey Pullum named the phenomenon after a person who mistakenly called an acorn an 'eggcorn'.
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What animal gave the Canary Islands their name?
Answer: Dog
Why: The islands were named after dogs, and the yellow canary bird was later named after the islands.
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What did mail mean in the original compound blackmail?
Answer: Rent
Why: Black mail originally referred to tribute paid in cattle or goods rather than silver coins.
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What animal gives the word "muscle" its Latin origin?
Answer: Mouse
Why: Romans thought the rippling of flexing muscles beneath the skin resembled a mouse scampering around.
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Which saint's name gave us the word tawdry?
Answer: Saint Audrey
Why: Cheap lace sold at Saint Audrey's annual fairs was shortened over time into the word 'tawdry'.
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