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.
Recent Episodes View all →
EP. 090 ~2 min
Nightmare
Emotion & Mind
Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Nightmare'
2026-08-07
EP. 089 ~2 min
Sycophant
Emotion & Mind
Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Sycophant'
2026-08-06
EP. 088 ~2 min
Trivial
Emotion & Mind
Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Trivial'
2026-08-05
EP. 087 ~2 min
Fascinate
Emotion & Mind
Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Fascinate'
2026-08-04
EP. 086 ~2 min
Clue
Emotion & Mind
Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Clue'
2026-08-03
EP. 085 ~2 min
Thug
Borrowed & Stolen
Discover the surprising origin of the word 'Thug'
2026-07-31
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 WordYour 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