BORN IN FICTION

10 Words You Didn’t Know Have Literary Origins

Image: Glen Noble

Even now, when reading seems to be on the decline compared to the past, literature still plays an important role in how we construct our everyday language. From Shakespearean soliloquies to modern sci-fi jargon, literature has gifted us with a plethora of words that now pepper our conversations.

Let's explore 10 captivating examples of words that originated in fiction and literature, illuminating the enduring power of narrative to change the world.

Image: Michael Dziedzic

Coined by 18th-century English writer and art historian Horace Walpole in a letter to a friend, this word refers to a fortunate discovery made by accident. After making an unexpected discovery about a lost artwork, he referenced an ancient Persian tale called The Three Princes of Serendip, where its three protagonists would be - Walpole told his correspondent - "always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of."

Image: Mick Haupt

Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes' iconic novel Don Quixote, this term describes someone who is extravagantly idealistic and impractical. It stems from the chivalrous but delusional character Don Quixote, who often embarked on fanciful quests in pursuit of romanticized ideals but losing sight of reality on the way, to the point of confusing ordinary windmills with the mythical giants of old tales.

Image: Hans Vivek

Joseph Heller popularized this phrase in his satirical novel of the same name, depicting a paradoxical situation in which escape is impossible because of contradictory rules. Set in World War II, from the perspective of a U.S. Air Force Captain, the novel explores the absurdity of war and bureaucratic logic through the protagonist's futile attempts to evade combat duty and the unreasonable demands of his superiors.

Image: Markus Spiske

George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece 1984 left an enduring legacy in the form of a rich vocabulary related to censorship and control. Some terms like "Big Brother," "Doublethink," or "Thought Police" are still popular in everyday speech. In the novel, these words form part of "Newspeak," a controlled language used by the totalitarian regime of Oceania in order to restrict freedom of thought and manipulate public perception.

Image: Markus Spiske

Coined by William Gibson in his groundbreaking science fiction novel Neuromancer, cyberspace refers to the virtual reality of computer networks. Gibson's pioneering work anticipated the internet age and our modern dependence on technology, helping shape our contemporary understanding of digital landscapes and connectivity.

Image: Chad Madden

Thanks to Charles Dickens's timeless classic A Christmas Carol, the name Scrooge has become synonymous with selfishness and greed. Unfortunately for Ebenezer Scrooge, the protagonist of the short novel, despite undergoing a transformative journey of redemption in the story, we mostly remember him by his worst side.

Image: Dmitry Ratushny

Although the word has a disputed etymology, the popularity of the word "nerd" likely owes to its usage in Dr. Seuss' If I Ran the Zoo where it referred to an imaginary creature. However, the term underwent a transformation in meaning over the years. It eventually evolved into a derogatory term for bookish people with a noticeable lack of social skills. Nowadays, though, it has lost its negative connotations and it is used to describe someone passionate or knowledgeable about niche interests in the realm of science and technology.

Image: Phillip Glickman

Coined by Czech playwright Karel Čapek in his play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), the term robot is derived from the Czech word "robota," meaning forced labor. Surprisingly - taking into account that it was written in the 1920s - Čapek's visionary play explores themes of artificial intelligence, automation, and the ethical implications of creating sentient beings.

Image: Vitolda Klein

Initially an abbreviation of "between" dating back to the year 1300, the term "tween" took on a new meaning in the late 20th century. Influenced by the word "teen," it emerged as a noun referring to a child nearing puberty, typically between the ages of 9 and 12. However, an alternative usage was popularized by J.R.R. Tolkien, who employed the term in The Lord of the Rings, to describe the "irresponsible twenties between [Hobbit] childhood and coming of age at thirty-three."

Image: Victor

Coined by Sir Thomas More in the 16th century, in his influential work Utopia, this term describes an idealized, imaginary society characterized by harmony, equality, and prosperity. More's vision of a perfect civilization has sparked countless literary and philosophical explorations into the possibilities and pitfalls of utopian ideals. The opposite concept would be a "dystopia."

What if?

The scariest near-misses in history you’ve never heard of

Image: The New York Public Library

History is full of near misses—moments where a single decision, accident, or twist of fate could have completely changed the world. From avoided wars to scientific breakthroughs nearly lost, these events remind us how fragile the course of history can be. Here are 10 times history almost took a dramatically different path.

Image: Toby Elliott

Around 70,000 years ago, a supervolcanic eruption in Indonesia nearly wiped out humanity. Genetic evidence suggests that the human population dropped to just a few thousand!

Had the decline been any worse, human civilization might never have recovered or developed as we know it today.

Image: K. Mitch Hodge

The Titanic’s distress flares were seen by the SS Californian, a ship just 10 miles away. However, the captain misinterpreted the signals and failed to respond.

Had the Californian arrived in time, hundreds of lives could have been saved. Instead, the tragedy cemented its place as one of history’s deadliest maritime disasters.

Image: Elimende Inagella

In 1812, Napoleon’s invasion of Russia seemed unstoppable—until an unexpectedly harsh winter decimated his army.

The Russian cold, coupled with severe supply shortages, forced Napoleon’s retreat. Only 10% of his troops survived, marking a turning point in European history.

Image: NASA

During the moon landing, Buzz Aldrin noticed a broken circuit breaker that could have stranded them on the lunar surface. Fortunately, he used a felt-tip pen to fix it.

If the makeshift repair had failed, Neil Armstrong and Aldrin might have been the first men to die on the moon.

Image: Peter Kvetny

In the 14th century, the bubonic plague killed millions. It nearly wiped out entire regions, transforming Europe’s social and economic structure.

If the disease had been slightly more virulent, the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution might never have happened.

Image: Tim Marshall

The Allies originally planned to invade Normandy on June 5, 1944, but a last-minute weather forecast prompted a 24-hour delay.

Had they gone ahead, bad weather could have doomed the invasion. The successful landing on June 6 helped turn the tide of World War II. Fortunately, we learned the lesson from Napoleon!

Image: Mark Stuckey

In 1605, Guy Fawkes’ plot to blow up the English Parliament was foiled at the last minute.

Had it succeeded, much of England’s leadership—including King James I—would have been killed, likely causing a massive power shift.

Image: Dan Meyers

In 1979, a training tape mistakenly showed a full-scale Soviet attack simulation on U.S. computers. Military leaders prepared to launch a counterattack.

The mistake was caught just in time. A nuclear war was narrowly avoided due to human intervention.

Image: Su San Lee

In 1281, a massive Mongol fleet attempted to invade Japan but was wiped out by a typhoon.

The storm, later called the "Divine Wind" (Kamikaze), saved Japan from conquest and altered the course of Asian history.

Image: Oo Jiflip

In 1961, a U.S. B-52 bomber broke apart over North Carolina, dropping two nuclear bombs. One nearly detonated—five of six safety switches had failed.

Had it exploded, the blast would have been 250 times more powerful than Hiroshima, devastating the Eastern Seaboard. The incident remains one of the closest calls in nuclear history.