Etymology & Word Origins
📋 What it is
Etymology is the STORY of where a word came from — and that story often explains its spelling and meaning.
🗣️ Coach says
Words have histories, and the history explains the weirdness. "Wednesday" keeps a silent "d" from "Woden’s day". When a spelling seems strange, the origin usually explains it.
🧠 Memory hook
The word’s STORY explains its spelling. Weird letters are usually old history.
😂 Giggle
Why did the prefix "un-" feel so negative?
Because it could never agree with anything!
😲 Whoa!
The word "salary" comes from the Latin for salt — Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in it, which is why we say someone is "worth their salt".
✅ Quick check: Why does "Wednesday" have a "d" you don’t hear?
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
It comes from "Woden’s day" — the old spelling kept the "d" even though we stopped saying it.
Etymology explains "illogical" spellings, making them easier to remember.
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Look up the origin of one everyday word and share the surprising story behind it.