Bully
Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Bully'
A word that started as a compliment. That's right -- bully used to be something you'd want to be called. Weird, right?
Most people assume "bully" comes from some tough guy named Bull, or maybe it's just about being brutish and large. Makes sense. Sounds mean. But that's backwards -- the word was probably *admiring* once.
The likely story traces to Middle Dutch "boel" or Middle Low German "bule" -- meaning something like brother, friend, or lover. The exact path into English is debated, but by the 1500s, "bully" in English was a positive word. A bully was a fine fellow. A good companion. Shakespeare used it that way in the 1590s. There was swagger in it. Confidence.
Then something shifted -- gradually, over the late 1600s and 1700s. The word rotated from describing someone strong and admirable to describing someone who uses that strength against people weaker than them. By the 1800s, bully meant exactly what it means now.
It's wild how the word flipped. The original strength never left the word -- it just found a darker target. A bully today still has power. They just point it downward.
Bully is your word of the day. This is The Why of Words.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the origin of the word Bully?
- The word 'bully' likely traces to Middle Dutch 'boel' or Middle Low German 'bule,' meaning brother, friend, or lover, though the exact path into English is debated.
- Why is it called Bully?
- It's called 'bully' because it originally described a fine fellow or good companion with swagger and confidence, but gradually shifted from the 1600s-1800s to mean someone who uses their strength against weaker people.
- Where does the word Bully come from?
- The word comes from Middle Dutch 'boel' or Middle Low German 'bule' and entered English by the 1500s as a positive term, famously used by Shakespeare in the 1590s.
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