The German roots of the word 'Baedeker'

'Baedeker' is a word borrowed from German 'Baedeker'. The word entered the English language some time around 1924.

Baedeker [noun] [1924]

Guidebook

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Etymology: Karl 'Baedeker' †1859 German publisher of guidebooks

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Is 'boor' English, or is it actually Dutch?

'Boor' is a word borrowed from Dutch 'boer'. The word entered the English language some time around 1551.

boor [noun] [1551]

• peasant
• a rude or insensitive person

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Etymology: Dutch 'boer;' akin to Old English 'būan' to dwell

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The word 'boondocks' is originally from Tagalog 'bundok'

'Boondocks' is a word borrowed from Tagalog 'bundok'. The word entered the English language some time around 1930.

boondocks [noun plural] [1930]

• rough country filled with dense brush
• a rural area
• sticks

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Etymology: Tagalog 'bundok' mountain

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The Russian roots of the word 'beluga'

'Beluga' is a word borrowed from Russian 'belukha'. The word entered the English language some time around 1772.

beluga [noun] [1772]

• a large white sturgeon ( syn. ) of the Black Sea, Caspian Sea, and their tributaries
• caviar processed from beluga roe
• a toothed whale (Delphinapterus leucas) of arctic and subarctic waters having a fusiform body that is about 10 to 15 ...

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Etymology: Russian, from 'belyĭ' white; akin to Greek 'phalios' having a white spot

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When you say 'zen' are you speaking Japanese?

'Zen' is a word borrowed from Japanese 'zen'. The word entered the English language some time around 1727.

zen [noun] [1727]

A Japanese sect of Mahayana Buddhism that aims at enlightenment by direct intuition through meditation

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Etymology: Japanese, religious meditation

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Do you speak a little Carrib when you say 'ajoupa'?

'Ajoupa' is a word borrowed from Carrib 'ajouppa'.

ajoupa

(details not available)

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note: A wooden framed hut raised on piles and covered with branches leaves or rushes. Sometimes has an open structure.
Etymology: -

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Did you know that 'toboggan' is actually Amerindian?

'Toboggan' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'topaĝan'. The word entered the English language some time around 1820.

toboggan [noun] [circa 1820]

• a long flat-bottomed light sled made usually of thin boards curved up at one end with usually low handrails at the side...
• a downward course or a sharp decline
• stocking cap

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Etymology: Canadian French 'tobogan' of Algonquian origin; akin to Micmac 'tobâgun' drag made of skin

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The Italian roots of the word 'umbrella'

'Umbrella' is a word borrowed from Italian 'ombrella'. The word entered the English language some time around 1611.

umbrella [noun] [1611]

• a collapsible shade for protection against weather consisting of fabric stretched over hinged ribs radiating from a cen...
• a small one for carrying in the hand
• the bell-shaped or saucer-shaped largely gelatinous structure that forms the chief part of the body of most jellyfishes
• something which provides protection
• as

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Etymology: Italian 'ombrella' modification of Latin 'umbella' diminutive of 'umbra'

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Is 'Detroit' English, or is it actually French (USA)?

'Detroit' is a word borrowed from French (USA) 'détroit'.

Detroit [geographical name] [(unknown)]

• river 31 miles (50 ) Ontario & kilometers Michigan connecting Lake Erie & Lake Saint Clair
• city pop Michigan on Detroit River 951,270

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note: The word “detroit” is French for “strait” and the French called the river “le détroit du Lac Érié meaning “the strait of Lake Erie.”
Etymology: -

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Is 'Colorado' English, or is it actually Spanish (USA)?

'Colorado' is a word borrowed from Spanish (USA) 'colorado'.

Colorado [geographical name] [(unknown)]

• river 1450 miles (2334 ) kilometers United States & Mexico rising in Colorado & flowing into Gulf of California
• river 600 miles (950 ) kilometers Texas flowing into Gulf of Mexico
• state area United States ✽ Denver square miles 104,247 square kilometers (271,042 ), pop 4,301,261
• river 530 miles (853 ) kilometers Argentina flowing cen to the Atlantic

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note: Named for the river Spanish Rio Colorado from colorado ruddy reddish literally colored past participle of colorar to color dye paint from Latin colorare to color - to get tanned.
Etymology: -

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Dutch 'boedel' in the English language

'Caboodle' is a word borrowed from Dutch 'boedel'. The word entered the English language some time around 1848.

caboodle [noun] [1848]

• collection

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Etymology: Probably from 'ca-' (intensive prefix) + 'boodle'

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When you say 'yoghurt' are you speaking Turkish?

'Yoghurt' is a word borrowed from Turkish 'yoǧurt'. The word entered the English language some time around 1625.

yoghurt [noun] [1625]

A fermented slightly acid often flavored semisolid food made of milk and milk solids to which cultures of two bacteria ...

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Etymology: Turkish 'yoğurt'

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The Dutch origins of the word 'burlap'

'Burlap' is a word borrowed from Dutch 'boerenlap'. The word entered the English language some time around 1696.

burlap [noun] [circa 1696]

• a coarse heavy plain-woven fabric usually of jute or hemp used for bagging and wrapping and in furniture and linoleum m...
• a lightweight material resembling burlap used in interior decoration or for clothing

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note: The origin could be Dutch 'boeren lap' (farmer's patch). The date of introduction also indicates possible Dutch origin.
Etymology: origin unknown

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The French roots of the word 'turquoise'

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

turquoise [noun] [14th century]

• a mineral that is a blue, bluish-green, or greenish-gray hydrous basic phosphate of copper and aluminum, takes a high p...
• a light greenish blue

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Etymology: Middle English 'turkeys' from Anglo-French 'turkeise' from feminine of 'turkeis' Turkish, from 'Turc' Turkish

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

'Blame' is a word borrowed from French 'blamer'. The word entered the English language some time around the 13th century.

blame [verb] [13th century]

• to find fault with
• censure
• to hold responsible
• to place responsibility for

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Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French 'blamer, blasmer' from Late Latin 'blasphemare' to blaspheme, from Greek 'blasphēmein'

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Did you know that 'britzka' is actually Polish?

'Britzka' is a word borrowed from Polish 'bryczka'.

britzka

(details not available)

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note: An open carriage with a folding hood and space for people to recline.
Etymology: -

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How the French language influenced English with the word 'molecule'

'Molecule' is a word borrowed from French 'molécule'. The word entered the English language some time around 1794.

molecule [noun] [1794]

• the smallest particle of a substance that retains all the properties of the substance and is composed of one or more at...
• a tiny bit
• particle

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Etymology: French 'molécule' from New Latin 'molecula' diminutive of Latin 'moles' mass

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How the German language influenced English with the word 'blitz'

'Blitz' is a word borrowed from German 'blitz'. The word entered the English language some time around 1939.

blitz [noun] [circa 1939]

• blitzkrieg
• an intensive aerial military campaign
• air raid
• a fast intensive nonmilitary campaign or attack

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Etymology: -

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Did you know that 'tank' is actually Urdu?

'Tank' is a word borrowed from Urdu 'tank'. The word entered the English language some time around 1609.

tank [noun] [1609]

• pond
• one built as a water supply
• a usually large receptacle for holding, transporting, or storing liquids (as water or fuel)
• an enclosed heavily armed and armored combat vehicle that moves on tracks

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Etymology: Portuguese 'tanque' alteration of 'estanque' from 'estancar' to stanch, perhaps from Vulgar Latin '*stanticare'

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Is 'chinchilla' English, or is it actually Spanish (Mexico)?

'Chinchilla' is a word borrowed from Spanish (Mexico) 'chinchilla'. The word entered the English language some time around 1604.

chinchilla [noun] [1604]

• either of two small South American rodents ( and Chinchilla laniger of the family Chinchillidae) of the high Andes that...
• the fur of a chinchilla
• a heavy twilled woolen coating

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Etymology: Spanish

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The Hawaiian roots of the word 'ukulele'

'Ukulele' is a word borrowed from Hawaiian 'ukulele'. The word entered the English language some time around 1896.

ukulele [noun] [1896]

A small guitar of Portuguese origin popularized in Hawaii in the 1880s and strung typically with four strings

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Etymology: Hawaiian 'ʽukulele' from 'ʽuku' flea + 'lele' jumping

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