77. Comedy

03/16/25 • 13 min

Etymoleon - Word History, the etymology podcast.

This episode looks at the origins of words linked to comedy, tracing the etymology behind terms like fun, amuse, slapstick, wit and giggle. Discover why humour and humid share a Latin root meaning wetness, and which two English words correspond to the elements of schadenfreude. Teasing first referred to separating fibres before extending to provoking people (eventually in a playful way). Plus, find out how religious plays gave rise to the word farce.

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76. Diseases & Disorders | History Daily: Spanish Flu

This episode explores how diseases and disorders came to be named after people and places, tracing the origins of surnames, locations and the medical discoveries. Learn how Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Tourette's and Crohn's became part of medical terminology, and why Lyme, Ebola and Marburg are forever linked to illness. Plus, hear about the first reported case of the Spanish Flu in March 1918, in an episode from the History Daily podcast.
Listen to the History Daily podcast: https://www.historydaily.com

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78. Money

This time we're tracing the origins of money-related terms, uncovering their connections to history. Learn how the word dollar links back to a Czech town and the alternative names once considered for Australia's currency. The story of money stretches from cattle used in trade to seashells as early currency, leading to the rise of coins and the introduction of paper money in 17th-century Europe. Listen to discover the 900-year-old tradition that helped bacon become slang for money and the significance behind the Barclays bank eagle.
This episode includes a message from Gabrielle Birchak, the voice behind the Math! Science! History! podcast: https://mathsciencehistory.com/podcast/