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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.