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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EP. 045 ~2 min
Preposterous
Dead Metaphors

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Preposterous'

2026-06-05
EP. 044 ~2 min
Dilapidated
Dead Metaphors

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Dilapidated'

2026-06-04
EP. 043 ~2 min
Sarcasm
Dead Metaphors

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Sarcasm'

2026-06-03
EP. 042 ~2 min
Candidate
Dead Metaphors

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Candidate'

2026-06-02
EP. 041 ~2 min
Disaster
Dead Metaphors

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Disaster'

2026-06-01
EP. 040 ~2 min
Melancholy
Emotion & Mind

Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Melancholy'

2026-05-29

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.

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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