New episode daily

Every word
has a why

A daily etymology podcast in two minutes

Uncover the hidden histories buried inside the words you use every day. From ancient roots to modern slang, discover the stories language forgot to tell you.

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Recent Episodes
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EP. 035 ~2 min
Loot
Borrowed & Stolen

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Loot'

2026-05-22
EP. 034 ~2 min
Zombie
Borrowed & Stolen

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Zombie'

2026-05-21
EP. 033 ~2 min
Kiosk
Borrowed & Stolen

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Kiosk'

2026-05-20
EP. 032 ~2 min
Shampoo
Borrowed & Stolen

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Shampoo'

2026-05-19
EP. 031 ~2 min
Tsunami
Borrowed & Stolen

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Tsunami'

2026-05-18
EP. 030 ~2 min
Moron
Insults & Profanity

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Moron'

2026-05-15

What word keeps you up at night?

Suggest a word and we'll dig into its history. The best suggestions become future episodes -- credited to you.

Submit a Word
Your suggestion
Serendipity
Persian fairy tale -- "The Three Princes of Serendip"
Queued
Quarantine
Italian quaranta giorni -- "forty days"
Queued
Clue
Greek mythology -- Theseus's ball of thread