The origin of the word pizza The word pizza is Italian for pie, and we English borrowed (and loved it) from Italian in the 1930s. But just how that word wound up in the Italian language boggles etymologists. It may have come from the Latin pix meaning “pitch” or Greek pitta, but others say that it originated in a Langobardic word bizzo meaning “bite.” Who made the …
Champagne has been associated with luxury, special occasions, and rites of passage since the days of French royalty when kings were anointed with bubbly. But not just any bottle of the sparkly stuff gets to be called a champagne. Where did this festive libation get its name? And what makes a champagne a champagne? What champagne is made from Champagne is a sparkling wine made …
If you’re not arguing about politics or whether or not it’s time for Grandma to get some more grandchildren, there’s one topic that’s always guaranteed to make a splash at the Thanksgiving dinner table: Are those yams or sweet potatoes in your holiday casserole? Wait a second, aren’t they the same thing? Not according to the dictionary! Yams vs. sweet potatoes Yams and sweet potatoes are in fact …
It’s Thanksgiving time, and while some folks will be piling their plates with turkey and mashed potatoes, we can’t pass on the opportunity to consider a dish named with one of the greatest portmanteaus of all time: the turducken. Let’s talk turducken A portmanteau is a blended word that’s made by putting together parts of other words—like motel, made from motor and hotel, or brunch, …
The berry family is a linguistic invention particular to Germanic languages, like English. Other languages, like Spanish and French, do not combine the wide, diverse berry family into one group, but rather have very different words for blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Where does the word berry come from? The word berry comes from the Old English berie, which originally meant “grape.” As the English language spread …
We know the word vegan came about in the 1800s, but what about the other terms that relate to veganism? Let's take a look at what vegans call their versions of animal products and where they came up with the names.