5: toy Dec 13, 2014

The word today is "toy" as a noun. The word originally denoted a funny story or remark, later an antic or trick, or a frivolous entertainment. This use of the word entered vocabulary at a time when something we would consider now a toy, such as a doll, was often rare. In our modern world, that is no longer true. There are excessive amount of these things which children can play with, and with this more common addition to the average child's life, the word changed meanings.

4: supercilious Dec 12, 2014

Today's Word Facts word is a super-silly one, supercilious. The origin of this word comes from the latin, 'supercilium' meaning eyebrow. The word eyebrow does not at first seem to be related at all to people thinking themselves superior. However, those who are themselves supercilious may often be caught with a disdainful eyebrow raise.

3: anana Dec 11, 2014

24 European and Asia languages have the exact same word for "pineapple", it being "anana". Many other languages have a word of similar sound. English feels a need to feel different however. Its word, "pineapple" is not derived from any other language, but from it being a fruit, hence apple (also consider crabapple) and the fruit itself having the stiff, spiny-edged leaves, hence pine.

2: nicknames Dec 10, 2014

Who among us hasn't gotten or given a nickname? Now, for any Nick's out there, you should be taking all the credit for your "nick name". The word, "nickname" comes from the Old English an "eke-name", which through misinterpretation became a "neke-name".

1: Lay versus lie Dec 9, 2014

We all know that "lay" is the past tense for "lie", an intransitive verb. Where this is confused by many, is that "lay", a transitive verb has a similar meaning, and the same present form as the past for "lie".
Many people will say something such as "I am going to lay down" and this incorrect.
If someone ever says this around you, rather than correcting, you can quickly ask, "the law?"