Time changes things

Little boys were once called "girls": The shocking past of 12 words

There was a time when thousands of people were "villains," and most young people were "girls." The English language is a living, breathing thing. That’s why describing something as "nice", "terrible", or "artificial" would have meant entirely different things at other points in history. Join us in uncovering the original meanings of these everyday words!

Such a short and straightforward word! How could it ever have had a different meaning? Believe it or not, "girl" didn't always refer specifically to a young female.

Around the 13th century, in Middle English, "girl" or girle was a general term for a child or young person of either sex. It wasn't until the 15th century that "girl" became exclusively associated with any young woman.

Did you guess it? The word "guy" comes from the name Guy Fawkes, the infamous conspirator behind the 1605 attempt to blow up the English Parliament.

Effigies of Fawkes, known as "guys," were burned during the annual Guy Fawkes Day celebrations. Eventually, "guy" came to refer to any oddly dressed or grotesque figure, and later, to any man in general.

Every good story needs a "villain," but this word has humble origins. It comes from the Late Latin word villanus, which meant "farmhand" or "peasant."

As social hierarchies shifted and Medieval city-dwellers sought to distinguish themselves from those living in rural areas, "villain" came to be associated with someone of low social standing, and eventually, with someone who was wicked or evil. Talk about looking down on your neighbors.

"Nice" comes from the 12th century, when the Old French word nice meant "silly" or "foolish." It can be traced further back to the Latin word nescius, meaning "ignorant."

Basically, calling someone "nice" was like saying they were a bit of a dunce. It was only by the 18th century that "nice" had evolved to mean "coy", or "refined", before finally settling on the "agreeable" or "thoughtful" meaning we know today.

The Old Norse word for "happiness" was sæl. Do you see where this is going? Seel was the Old English adaptation of it, which derived into "seely" and eventually "silly." For a long time, before the late 13th century, it meant "blessed" or "joyous."

Over time, it evolved to mean "pious" or "innocent," and then "weak" or "helpless." By the 1570s, its definition had settled on its current meaning of "foolish" or "whimsical."

"Clue" comes from the Greek word kleos, meaning "fame" or "glory." It then entered Old English as "cliewen," which referred to a ball of yarn. Do you see the connection?

Think of the Greek myth of Theseus, who used a ball of yarn to navigate the Labyrinth and slay the Minotaur. When this myth was popularized in England by Chaucer (in the late 1300s), the image of the yarn guiding Theseus out of the maze led to "clue" becoming the term for a hint or a tool that helps solve a problem. The spelling shifted to "clue" in Early Modern English, around the 1500s-1600s.

"Naughty" might bring to mind a mischievous child or a playful prank. But we all know that "naught" means "nothing." Essentially, in Old English, around the 1300s or 1400s, if you were "naughty," you were considered "worthless" or "good for nothing!"

Over time, the meaning softened, shifting to "wicked" or simply "disobedient" or "mischievous."

Today, we may catch ourselves using "terrible" and "lousy" interchangeably. But there was a time when "terrible" meant "awe-inspiring." That’s more closely related to the other meaning of "terrible," which is horrible or frightful.

It comes from the classical Latin word terribilis, used pre-500 AD, more closely related to reverence than to dread.

In Latin, nervosus meant "sinewy" or "vigorous". Initially, it described someone outstandingly strong—but that’s not what we mean today when we say we feel "nervous".

The term as we know it today emerged in the 1700s, describing a state of excitability or anxiety, perhaps because people associated those feelings with a tensing of the muscles and sinews.

Today, the term "artificial" might conjure the image of plastic flowers or even a computer generating Artificial Intelligence. But the word once meant "full of artistic or technical skill".

That is, it was used for creations we would now refer to as art, or even technology: Things crafted by human ingenuity, most often with positive connotations. Its current negative or synthetic connotation developed in more modern times, through the 1700s-1800s.

There was a time when "meat" referred to any kind of solid food. It came from the Old English word mete, which, before the 1100s, could refer to any edible, from a juicy steak to a bowl of porridge.

It wasn't until later that "meat" narrowed its focus to the flesh of animals.

Another Greek origin. Even in Ancient Greece, if you had a myrios of problems, you still had a lot of them. Its meaning was exactly "ten thousand", although it was also used as an expression to mean "indefinitely large."

It later entered the English language in the 1550s, meaning specifically "the number of 10,000."

Enrich your vocabulary

Been called "comely"? Congrats! 10 rare adjectives you'll want to use

Image: Piotr Łaskawski

Adjectives help us describe just about everything: objects, situations, experiences, and even feelings. While our everyday go-to words are fine, it never hurts to add some variety, right? Whether you want to sound a little more refined, impress your friends, or bring back some long-forgotten words, this article is for you!

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If someone uses this adjective to describe you, lucky you! "Comely" means attractive or appealing, often in appearance, but it can also refer to something pleasant in general. It's a refined way to say someone is nice to look at. Do you know anyone who's comely?

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Did you have that classmate in school who was always bothering others? Or maybe you know someone who makes daily life a bit more difficult? The perfect word for those people might be "irksome," an unusual and expressive way to describe someone or something irritating.

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Life is full of complicated situations that call for wise decision-making. In times like these, it’s great to have a "sagacious" person by your side. This adjective describes someone wise and insightful, who shows good judgment. But it's not just for people! Advice or actions can be sagacious too.

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A person who always prefers to save money or spend as little as possible can be described as "parsimonious." This adjective refers to someone who is careful and often meticulous about their spending, usually choosing to save for other priorities.

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This word is the opposite of parsimonious. "Munificent" describes extremely generous people, whether with money, gifts, or simple acts of kindness. People like that deserve our gratitude!

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Do your kids or grandkids refuse to listen to you? Try teaching them this word! While "contumacious" is often used in formal or legal settings—like in court—it can describe anyone who is openly defiant and rebellious, refusing to follow orders, rules, or regulations.

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Pride and arrogance aren't exactly the most appealing traits, but there’s a fitting adjective to describe such traits: "hubristic." It comes from the Greek word hubris, often used in ancient tragedies to describe excessive pride that generally led to a character's downfall.

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Do you love to talk non-stop? Are you the one who takes the mic at weddings to say a few words? If so, "loquacious" is the perfect word for you. This adjective describes someone who talks a lot—someone who wouldn’t think twice about chatting all the way up 10 floors in an elevator with a total stranger!

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When something is described as "salubrious," it means it's beneficial to your health and well-being. This could be anything from the food you eat to a daily habit, a clean environment, or even a positive relationship. In short, if it’s good for your health, it’s salubrious!

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We all know that one friend or family member who gets irritated and moody over the smallest things. If you do, too—or if you are that person—"petulant" is the perfect word to describe them.