Historic People That Became Everyday Words
The Ancient Names in our Vocabulary
The more you look back to the past, the more you start to see the present everywhere you look. Nowhere is this truer than in language. What’s always been a source of particular interest to me is the journey words go on through the passage of time. Names that become verbs. Concrete nouns that become proper nouns. Names that become brands, popular meals, or lifestyles. Words that once held very specific, contextual meanings that became vague, casual, or generic everyday terms. The process of naming is fascinating to me. And the thing about languages is that they aren’t founded on a stroke- they’re compounds of everything that came before them.
Today I’d like to run through some of the most interesting examples of modern words derived from the names of long-forgotten peoples. Be sure to let me know in the comments any others you can think of!
Modern Word: Magician/magic
Historical Origin: The Magi
Figured I’d start off with a real banger. The Magi were an order of highly influential Zoroastrian priests in Ancient Persia. Over time, they came to be associated with astrology, alchemy, illusionism, mysticism, fortune-telling, curses, and general esoteric knowledge. The Greeks in particular became fascinated with…
