Is 'tonsils' English, or is it actually Latin?

'Tonsils' is a word borrowed from Latin 'tonsillae'. The word entered the English language some time around 1601.

tonsils [noun] [1601]

• either of a pair of prominent masses of lymphoid tissue that lie one on each side of the throat between two folds of so...
• any of various masses of lymphoid tissue (as the adenoids) that are similar to

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Etymology: Latin 'tonsillae' plural, tonsils

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Do you speak a little French when you say 'palsy'?

'Palsy' is a word borrowed from French 'paralisie'. The word entered the English language some time around the 14th century.

palsy [noun] [14th century]

• paralysis
• a condition marked by uncontrollable tremor of the body or a part

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note: Derived from Old French palasie which is a shortening of paralisie stemming from Latin paralysis and ultimately from Greek paralysia (paralysis loosening). It refers to paralysis or uncontrollable tremors.
Etymology: Middle English 'palesie' alteration of 'parlesey' from Anglo-French 'paralisie' from Latin 'paralysis'

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Do you speak a little Romani when you say 'shiv'?

'Shiv' is a word borrowed from Romani 'chiv'. The word entered the English language some time around 1915.

shiv [noun] [1915]

Knife

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note: Probably from Romani chiv ‘blade’.
Etymology: Alteration of 'chiv' of unknown origin

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The Latin origins of the word 'rude'

'Rude' is a word borrowed from Latin 'rudis'. The word entered the English language some time around the 14th century.

rude [adjective] [14th century]

• being in a rough or unfinished state
• crude
• natural
• primitive
• simple

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Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin 'rudis;' probably akin to Latin 'rudus' rubble

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When you say 'seersucker' are you speaking Persian?

'Seersucker' is a word borrowed from Persian 'shir-o-shakkar'. The word entered the English language some time around 1722.

seersucker [noun] [1722]

A light fabric of linen, cotton, or rayon usually striped and slightly puckered

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note: Originates from the Persian phrase shir-o-shakkar which means milk and sugar. Adopted into Hindi as sirsakar and English in the early 1700s. The name refers to the alternating smooth (milk) and puckered (sugar) textures of the fabric.
Etymology: Hindi 'śīr-śakkar, sīr-sakkar' & Urdu 'shīrshakar' literally, milk and sugar, from Persian 'shīr-o-shakar'

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Do you speak a little Italian when you say 'ballerina'?

'Ballerina' is a word borrowed from Italian 'ballerina'. The word entered the English language some time around 1815.

ballerina [noun] [1815]

A woman who is a dancer - danseuse

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Etymology: Italian, from 'ballare' to dance, from Late Latin

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Did you know that 'shogun' is actually Japanese?

'Shogun' is a word borrowed from Japanese 'sei-i-tai shogun'. The word entered the English language some time around 1727.

shogun [noun] [1727]

One of a line of military governors ruling Japan until the revolution of 1867–68

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Etymology: Japanese 'shōgun'

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When you say 'nike' are you speaking Greek?

'Nike' is a word borrowed from Greek 'Níkē'. The word entered the English language some time around 1850.

nike [noun] [1850]

The Greek goddess of victory

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note: The ancient Greek goddess of victory Νίκη (Níkē) meaning victory or conquest a concept deeply tied to success in battle and sports.
Etymology: Greek 'Nikē'

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Japanese 'bonsai' in the English language

'Bonsai' is a word borrowed from Japanese 'bonsai'. The word entered the English language some time around 1900.

bonsai [noun] [1900]

• a potted plant (as a tree) dwarfed (as by pruning) and trained to an artistic shape
• the art of growing such a plant

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note: The word bonsai comes from Japanese combining bon (盆 tray or shallow pot) and sai (栽 planting or plant) literally meaning tray planting or tree planted in a pot. This term originates from the ancient Chinese practice of penjing (or pun-sai)
Etymology: Japanese, literally, tray planting

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When you hear 'eden' are you hearing English or Sumerian?

'Eden' is a word borrowed from Sumerian 'eden'. The word entered the English language some time before the 12th century.

eden [noun] [before 12th century]

• paradise
• the garden where according to the account in Genesis Adam and Eve first lived
• a place of pristine or abundant natural beauty

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note: The Hebrew word is likely borrowed from the Akkadian edinnu which in turn comes from the Sumerian eden meaning plain or steppe.
Etymology: Late Latin, from Hebrew 'ʽĒdhen'

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The word 'cabriolet' is a loan word from French 'cabriole'

'Cabriolet' is a word borrowed from French 'cabriole'. The word entered the English language some time around 1770.

cabriolet [noun] [1770]

• a light 2-wheeled one-horse carriage with a folding leather hood, a large apron, and upward-curving shafts
• a convertible coupe

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Etymology: French, from diminutive of 'cabriole' caper, alteration of Middle French 'capriole'

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The Latin roots of the word 'saltire'

'Saltire' is a word borrowed from Latin 'saltare'. The word entered the English language some time around the 14th century.

saltire [noun] [14th century]

A heraldic charge consisting of a cross formed by a bend and a bend sinister crossing in the center

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note: Based on Latin saltare ‘to dance'.
Etymology: Middle English 'sautire' from Anglo-French 'sautour'

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Do you speak a little French when you say 'saveloy'?

'Saveloy' is a word borrowed from French 'cervelas'. The word entered the English language some time around 1837.

saveloy [noun] [1837]

A highly seasoned dry sausage

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note: The word saveloy (first used in English around 1784–1837) is a corruption of the French word cervelas or servelat. Originally referred to a sausage made from pig's brains. It is derived from the Italian cervellata and Latin cerebrum (brain).
Etymology: Modification of French 'cervelas' from Middle French, from Old Italian 'cervellata' literally, pig's brains, from 'cervello' brain, from Latin 'cerebellum'

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