Word Origins - words coined by people

word/phrase	coined by	context
A fool’s paradise	Shakespeare	Romeo and Juliet
advertising	Shakespeare	Measure for Measure, Act V, Scene I
accommodation	Shakespeare	Measure for Measure, Act III, Scene I
admirable	Shakespeare	A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act V, Scene I
amazement	Shakespeare	Hamlet, Act III, Scene II
bedroom	Shakespeare	A Midsummer Night's Dream, ACT II SCENE II
belongings	Shakespeare	Measure for Measure, Act I, Scene I
big bang	Fred Hoyle	in a radio interview with BBC in 1949
birthplace	Shakespeare	Coriolanus, ACT IV SCENE IV
break the ice	Shakespeare	The Taming of the Shrew, Act I, Scene II
bump	Shakespeare	Romeo and Juliet, ACT I SCENE III
buzzer	Shakespeare	Hamlet, ACT IV SCENE V
champion	Shakespeare	Macbeth, ACT III SCENE I
circumstantial	Shakespeare	As You Like It, ACT V SCENE IV
cold-blooded	Shakespeare	King John, Act III, Scene I
countless	Shakespeare	Titus Andronicus, ACT V SCENE III
courtship	Shakespeare	Love's Labour's Lost, ACT V SCENE II
critic	Shakespeare	Love's Labour's Lost, Act 3, Scene 1
dauntless	Shakespeare	King Henry VI, Part III, ACT III SCENE III
dawn	Shakespeare	Henry V, ACT IV
dwindle	Shakespeare	King Henry IV, Part I, ACT III SCENE III
elbow room	Shakespeare	King John
electricity	William Gilbert	coined the New Latin word electricus (from elektron, the Greek word for "amber")
eventful	Shakespeare	As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII
excitement	Shakespeare	Hamlet, ACT IV SCENE IV
fashionable	Shakespeare	Troilus and Cressida, Act III, Scene iii
fiber optics	Narinder Singh Kapany	Kapany coined the term fiber optics in a 1960 article in Scientific American magazine.
generous	Shakespeare	Love's Labour's Lost, ACT V SCENE I
gloomy	Shakespeare	King Henry VI, Part I, Act V, Scene IV
gossip	Shakespeare	The Comedy of Errors, Act V, Scene I
green-eyed monster	Shakespeare	Othello, Act III, Scene III
a heart of gold	Shakespeare	Henry V, Act IV, Scene i
hint	Shakespeare	Othello, ACT I SCENE III
jaded	Shakespeare	King Henry VI, Part II, ACT IV, SCENE I
laughable	Shakespeare	The Merchant of Venice, ACT I SCENE I
lonely	Shakespeare	Coriolanus, Act IV, Scene I
love is blind	Shakespeare	The Merchant of Venice, Act II, Scene VI
majestic	Shakespeare	Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene II
manager	Shakespeare	A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act V, Scene I
marketable	Shakespeare	As You Like It, ACT I SCENE II
mimic	Shakespeare	A Midsummer Night's Dream, ACT III SCENE II
obscene	Shakespeare	Love's Labour's Lost, ACT I SCENE I
outbreak	Shakespeare	Hamlet, ACT II SCENE I
Pandemonium	John Milton	Pandemonium is the capital city of Hell in Paradise Lost
radiance	Shakespeare	All's Well That Ends Well, ACT I, SCENE I
robot	Josef Čapek	Czech writer Karel Čapek published a play called R.U.R. in 1920 about a fictional company, Rossumovi Univerzální Roboti ("Rossum's Universal Robots"), that manufactured automatons (human-like machines) to work for people. During the writing of his play, Josef Čapek, Karel Čapek's brother, suggested the word 'robot' from an Old Church Slavonic word, rabota, which means "servitude of forced labor". Robot made its way common usage after R.U.R. was translated into English in 1922.
savagery	Shakespeare	King John, ACT IV SCENE III
saxophone	Adolphe Sax	Saxophone is named after its inventor, a Belgian musical instrument designer, Adolphe Sax. (list of words that are named after people)
scuffle	Shakespeare	Antony and Cleopatra, ACT I SCENE I
secure	Shakespeare	King Henry VI, Part II, ACT V SCENE II
selfie	Nathan Hope	Though 'selfie' is in common parlance in AUstralia before 2002, Nathan Hope was the first person to use it on the internet
serendipity	Horace Walpole	Horace Walpole coined the word serendipity in a letter to Horace Mann, dated January 28, 1754. Walpole explained an unexpected discovery he had made about a lost painting of Bianca Cappello by Giorgio Vasari by reference to a Persian fairy tale, The Three Princes of Serendip.
skim milk	Shakespeare	King Henry IV, Part I, ACT II SCENE III
submerge	Shakespeare	ACT I SCENE IV, ACT II SCENE V
summit	Shakespeare	Hamlet, ACT I SCENE IV
swagger	Shakespeare	A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act III, Scene I
the naked truth	Shakespeare	Love’s Labour’s Lost
torture	Shakespeare	King Henry VI, Part II, Act II, Scene I
tranquil	Shakespeare	Othello, ACT III SCENE III
unreal	Shakespeare	Macbeth, ACT III SCENE IV
varied	Shakespeare	Titus Andronicus, ACT III SCENE I
wild goose chase	Shakespeare	Romeo and Juliet, ACT II SCENE IV
worthless	Shakespeare	King Henry VI, Part III, ACT I SCENE I
zany	Shakespeare	Love's Labour's Lost, Act V, Scene II
xxxx	Shakespeare	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Word Origins - words/phrases coined by people

The English language is a fascinating subject with a rich and complex history. It is a language that has borrowed and adapted from many other languages, and as a result, English words have a wide range of origins.

English is a Germanic language, but it has been heavily influenced by Latin and French. This is because of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, which saw the French-speaking Normans take control of the country. The influence of Latin and French can be seen in many English words, particularly those used in the fields of law, medicine, and science.

Latin is the source of many English words, especially those used in the fields of science, medicine, and law. For example, the word "biology" comes from the Greek word "bios," meaning "life," and the suffix "-ology," which means "study of." Latin also gave us many words related to law, such as "justice," "jurisdiction," and "prosecute." In medicine, Latin is the source of many anatomical terms, such as "abdomen," "pelvis," and "thorax."

French also had a significant impact on the English language, especially in the Middle Ages. During this time, French was the language of the court, and many French words were introduced into English. Words such as "government," "royal," and "parliament" are all of French origin. French also gave us many words related to food and cooking, such as "restaurant," "cuisine," and "chef."

In addition to Latin and French, English has borrowed words from many other languages. For example, the word "chocolate" comes from the Nahuatl word "xocolatl," which was the name for a bitter drink made from cocoa beans. The word "pyjamas" comes from the Hindi word "pajama," which means "leg garment." And the word "kangaroo" comes from an Aboriginal Australian language, where it meant "I don't understand."

One interesting aspect of English word origins is the influence of slang and colloquialisms. Many words that were once considered slang have become part of the mainstream English language. For example, the word "cool" was originally slang, but it is now a commonly used word in English. Similarly, the word "ain't" was once considered incorrect grammar, but it is now used by many native English speakers.

In conclusion, the origins of English words are diverse and complex, reflecting the rich history of the English language. Latin and French have had a significant impact on English, as have many other languages. Even slang and colloquialisms have played a role in shaping the English language. Understanding the origins of English words can provide insights into the language's history and development, as well as its global reach and influence.