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15 Modern Words With Unusual Medieval Origins

Many everyday words have roots in the Middle Ages but have come to be used in surprising ways in modern times. From medieval philosophies to long-forgotten customs, these words reveal how the past continues to shape our language in unexpected ways. Here are 15 examples of this fascinating evolution.

1. Dunce

The term “dunce” comes from the name John Duns Scotus, a 13th-century Scottish theologian and philosopher. Renowned for his complex reasoning, Duns Scotus was highly respected in his time, and his followers, known as “Duns men,” carried on his scholastic traditions. However, during the Renaissance, as humanism gained prominence, these “Duns men” opposed new ways of learning, earning themselves a reputation for being resistant to progress. The term “dunce” eventually evolved as a derogatory label for someone considered slow-witted or incapable of understanding.

2. Freelance

Another way of describing a person who works independently, this word was never said in the Middle Ages but gained prominence when used by Sir Walter Scott in his novel Ivanhoe, written in 1820. In the book, a character wants to hire mercenaries, whom he calls “Free Lances.” Interestingly, the word was also used a few years earlier in a biography of a Scottish geologist. It would be several decades before the term gained widespread use.

3. Atom

In modern times, this refers to the smallest particles of chemical elements. When scientists coined the term in the 19th century, they were inspired by the medieval concept of an atom, which described the smallest measurement of time: an hour contained 22,560 atoms. The word atom is even older, coming from the Ancient Greek term átomos, meaning “that which cannot be divided further.”

4. Clue

If you said the word “clue” in medieval England, people would think you were referring to a ball of yarn, which in Middle English was spelled clewe. However, medieval people also associated a ball of yarn with the story of Theseus, the ancient hero who escaped the Minotaur’s Labyrinth by unrolling a ball of yarn as he went through the maze. This metaphor for finding one’s way led to the word being applied, in early modern times, to anything that helps solve a problem or mystery.

5. Serendipity

There was a medieval Persian fairy tale about three princes who accidentally discovered clues to find a missing camel. This tale later reached England as The Three Princes of Serendip. Inspired by the story, 18th-century English writer Horace Walpole coined the term “serendipity” to mean an unplanned fortunate discovery.

6. Paraphernalia

In medieval Rome, a bride’s bona paraphernalia referred to her “goods besides the dowry”—items she brought to the marriage that remained her personal property, unlike the dowry, which belonged to the husband. The term comes from the Greek para (“beside”) and pherne (“dowry”), meaning something the bride “brought along.” The word fell out of common use until the 19th century, when it reappeared in the Anthony Trollope’s novel The Eustace Diamonds. Over time, it evolved to mean a collection of miscellaneous items or equipment.

7. Soda

Soda traces back to medieval Latin, where it referred to the plant samphire, burned to create soda ash for glassmaking. Samphire was also used as a headache remedy, linking the word to the Arabic term sudā (“headache”). In the 19th century, soda became associated with carbonated beverages.

8. Bulimia

This word, originating in Ancient Greek, was used in medieval England to describe someone with uncontrollable hunger, literally “the hunger of an ox.” The term disappeared for centuries but reemerged in the 1970s to describe the eating disorder involving binge-eating and purging.

9. Goth

In the 1980s, a subculture emerged known as Goth. Many associate Goths with their distinctive dark attire, often inspired by 19th-century fashion, and their love for music and horror films. The name traces back to the Goths, a Germanic tribe from late antiquity and the early Middle Ages. In the Renaissance, “Gothic” became a term of insult for medieval architecture, but by the 18th and 19th centuries, people came to admire its dramatic style. This architectural revival also inspired Gothic literature, with its focus on dark, mysterious, and emotional themes.

10. Diaper

The word “diaper” originates from the Byzantine Greek díaspros, meaning “extremely white.” Initially, it referred to shiny ecclesiastical vestments and luxurious fabrics. By the 16th century, it described simpler white linen with diamond-shaped patterns. In the 19th century, baby clothing made from such linen came to be called “diapers” in North America, while the British used the term “nappies.”

11. Algorithm

In the 9th century, Arab mathematician Abu Ja’far Mohammed ibn-Musa al-Khwarizmi introduced Arabic numerals and advanced mathematical techniques to Europe. His name, meaning “man from Khwarizm,” was adapted into medieval Latin as algorismus, referring to arithmetic calculations. Over time, the term evolved into “algorithm,” now central to modern computing.

12. Innuendo

Derived from the Latin innuere, meaning “to signal by nodding,” this term appeared in medieval legal documents as innuendō (“by nodding”), used to clarify implied meanings. It became associated with libel cases, where plaintiffs highlighted subtle derogatory implications in statements. Over time, it evolved to refer to indirect hints, often with suggestive undertones.

13. Checkmate

The word checkmate comes from the Persian phrase shah mat, meaning “the king is at a loss” or “defeated.” As chess spread to the Arab world, the term became al-shah mat and later entered European languages. A misunderstanding linked the Persian mat (“defeated”) with the Arabic mata (“to die”), leading to the mistaken belief that checkmate means “the king is dead.”

14. Adept

In the Middle Ages, alchemists who claimed to have mastered the philosopher’s stone referred to themselves as adeptus, meaning “attained.” As alchemy fell out of favour, the word broadened to mean proficiency in any field, while its counterpart, inept, implies failure to attain skill.

15. Quarantine

The word quarantine comes from the Latin quadraginta (“forty”). When the Black Death struck Europe in the 14th century, cities implemented countermeasures requiring ships and their crews to remain offshore for a period to prevent the spread of disease. While 40 days was a common duration, the length could vary depending on the location. This practice became known as quarantine and has remained an important aspect of public health.

These 15 words demonstrate how the Middle Ages continue to shape our modern vocabulary in unexpected ways. From alchemy to quarantine, their origins reveal the fascinating connections between medieval life, language, and the world we know today. These linguistic legacies remind us how the past is always present in the words we speak.

To learn more about the origins of words, check out the books Word Origins: The Secret Histories of English Words from A to Z, by John Ayto, and Word Origins and Thier Romantic Stories, by Wilfred Funk.