LINGUISTIC ROOTS

What's the origin of the word "tomato"?

Image: Boston Public Library

The rich tapestry of Native American languages has woven itself into the linguistic fabric of modern English. From everyday words to the names of places and people, Native American contributions are ubiquitous yet often overlooked.

Let's explore thirteen instances where Native American languages left an indelible mark on the English language.

Image: Avin CP

The undisputed king of salads everywhere is a plant native to South and Central America, so it should come as no surprise that its name shares the same geographical origin, too. This plump, umami-rich berry was first domesticated by the indigenous people of Mexico, who called it tomatl, literally meaning "swelling fruit." As with many indigenous words, it was slightly altered when it was assimilated into the English language, becoming the familiar tomato.

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

This medium-sized mammal native to North America derives its modern name from the Algonquian arahkun, meaning "animal that scratches with its hands." Kind of a cute name if you ask me! The word went through many successive translations, from the original Algonquian word to interpretations like _raugroughcum_—that sort of sounds like a growling animal, you gotta give it to them—to arocoun around the year 1600, before eventually settling as raccoon.

Image: SaiKrishna Saketh Yellapragada

Grab your oars and get ready to paddle into the rivers of language because canoe is also a word of Native American origin! It comes from the Arawakan canaoua, and it refers to the dugout boats made by the indigenous inhabitants of what now is Haiti. It first came into English from the Spanish version of the word canoa. Afterward, the word went through many variations, like cano and canow, before settling in the modern spelling.

Image: Tarah Dane

The term moccasin, referring to a comfy type of soft leather shoe, has its roots in the Algonquian word makasin, meaning "shoe." While the versatile footwear has a Native American origin, it transcended cultural boundaries, finding utility as the footwear of various indigenous North American communities, as well as hunters, traders, and European settlers.

Image: Alexey Demidov

The term hurricane has a fascinating linguistic journey, originating in the Spanish term huracan, itself derived from an Arawakan word. As with many Native American words, it first came to English through Spanish during the Age of Exploration.

According to the Taino people, indigenous to the Caribbean, Huricán was a god of destruction linked to wind, storm, and fire. Spanish explorers in the Caribbean adopted the term as huracán, eventually evolving into the modern hurricane by the 16th century.

Image: Virgil Cayasa

First domesticated by the indigenous inhabitants of Mexico about 10,000 years ago, maize (i.e. corn) remains a staple food to this day, with its total production even surpassing that of wheat and rice. The word maize comes from the Spanish adaptation of the indigenous Taino term mahiz. Although it is more commonly called corn in the United States, most countries derive their word for the crop from the Taino term. Botanist Carl Linnaeus even incorporated it into the species name, Zea mays.

Image: Timothy K

Just like a real-life mangrove growing in brackish water, languages thrive in complex environments! And the etymology of mangrove is no exception, as it likely entered English through Portuguese mangue or Spanish mangle. However, its etymological roots delve deeper into South American and Caribbean indigenous languages, such as Taino. While some suggest a Malay origin, the use of the term for the American plant at that time remains challenging to explain.

Image: Austin Neill

The etymology of buccaneer is quite intriguing, originating from the Caribbean Arawak word buccan. This term referred to the wooden frames used by the indigenous people of the region for the slow-roasting or smoking of meat. You might wonder, how exactly did this term end up being used to refer to 18th-century privateers? Well, originally, the designation applied to landless hunters on the islands who were adept at smoking meat in the Caribbean way. As local corsairs often bought their smoked goods, the term eventually expanded to encompass the corsairs and privateers themselves.

Image: Estevao Gedraite

A savanna, a woodland-grassland mix with widely spaced trees, gets its name from the Spanish sabana, also borrowed from the Taino language, meaning "treeless grassland." The change in pronunciation of the letter b from Taino to Spanish carried over into English, becoming a v. In the U.S., particularly in Florida, "savannah" historically referred to the low-lying marshy ground since the 1670s, with the term "savannah-grass" documented by 1756. To be fair, the Taino people really made a huge contribution to our modern vocabulary!

Image: Jenn Kosar

The name of this coveted snack actually comes from the Portuguese caju, derived from the Tupian word acajú, meaning "nut that produces itself." What does that mean, exactly? We’re not sure. But what's clear is that cashews, despite their colloquial classification as nuts, are not true nuts but rather a type of drupe, akin to olives and dates. As you finish this read, consider indulging in some cashews—not only are they a delightful snack, but they also offer many brain-boosting benefits!

Image: Joshua Sukoff

The seemingly strange term caucus, signifying a political gathering, likely first originated in the British colonies of North America, notably Boston. While its etymology is debated, one of the leading theories links it to the Algonquian caucauasu, meaning "counselor." Others suggest a connection to the Greek word kaukos, meaning "drinking cup," in connection to private drinking clubs.

Image: Danny de Jong

Are you ready to grill? Well, the Arawak peoples of the Caribbean are! The English word barbecue and its counterparts in various other languages have their roots in the Spanish term barbacoa, which, in turn, happens to originate from an Arawak word, barabicu. The words can be roughly translated as a "framework of sticks set upon posts," technically what we would now call a grill.

Image: Abigail Lynn

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck? Probably not much. But did you know that the word for the beloved woodchuck (also known as a groundhog) stems from an Algonquian word? The etymology of the name woodchuck is completely unrelated to wood or chucking, and instead is derived from the Algonquian name for the animal: wuchak. The amusing twist in the name's origins might be attributed to a misunderstanding of the original name, or maybe just the work of a prankster. In any case, it stuck.

Animal facts

Did you believe it too? 10 animal "facts" that turned out to be myths

From bulls "hating" red to bats being "blind," we’ve all grown up believing certain things about animals that just aren’t true. Luckily, science has cleared things up, and many of these classic claims have been completely debunked. If you want to discover which ones didn’t pass, keep reading!

You’ve probably heard the expression "blind as a bat." But that saying is actually based on a myth. Bats do have functional eyes, and they can see quite well, even in low light. On top of that, they use echolocation (detecting objects through reflected sound), which helps them navigate with impressive accuracy in complete darkness.

If you ever find a baby bird that has fallen from its nest, here’s some good news: you can gently pick it up and place it back. The old myth that a mother bird will abandon her chick if it’s touched by a human has been debunked. The truth is that most birds have a poor sense of smell, so they won’t detect your scent. What can cause a mother bird to leave is excessive noise or human disturbance.

Have you ever touched a toad? Some people won’t go near them, while others would love to but worry they’ll catch something from their skin. Fortunately for us (and for the toads), that’s just a myth. Toads can’t give humans warts; those come from a virus that toads don’t carry. However, some species do have toxins or bacteria on their skin that can cause irritation, so it’s always a good idea to wash your hands in case you have to handle one.

For decades, cartoons have taught us never to wave anything red in front of a bull. But science tells a different and surprising story: bulls are actually colorblind to red. What really triggers their reaction isn’t the color, but the fast, sudden movement of the bullfighter’s cape.

You've probably heard the idea that goldfish have a memory span of only three seconds. But despite popular belief, studies show that goldfish can learn to associate certain stimuli with specific responses, linking a sound to feeding time, or recognizing their caregivers. And that kind of learning requires a memory far longer than just three seconds. Let's give more recognition to these beautiful fish!

Head lice can be a headache for school-age kids and their parents. For years, many believed that lice preferred dirty hair or oily scalps; however, that’s not true. But be careful: the opposite isn’t correct either! Lice can climb onto any head, clean or not. In the end, prevention is always your best defense.

Poor sloths! Even their name accuses them of the sin of laziness. But that reputation isn’t entirely fair. While it’s true that these mammals move far less than most animals, it’s not because they’re unwilling or "lazy"; their bodies just work differently. A sloth’s metabolism is roughly 45% slower than that of other animals of their size, which means everything they do takes more time.

Maybe someone once told you, "If you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you." While that’s usually true for honeybees, it’s not the case with wasps. Wasps tend to be far more temperamental, and they’re known to attack or sting even when they haven’t been provoked.

The scarcity of liquid in the desert has given rise to the belief that camels store water in their humps, but that’s a myth. Actually, their humps are filled with fat. Why fat? Well, that reserve can be converted into energy and even small amounts of water, helping these large animals endure long walks in the desert without food or hydration.

If you've ever seen an ostrich bury its head when frightened, it was probably a cartoon. This widespread myth likely comes from the way these birds care for their nests. Ostriches dig shallow holes for their eggs, and they lower their heads to turn the eggs or check on their young, but they never bury their heads in the ground.