Making up language

Words that were invented by fiction writers, and now we all use them

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Sometimes, preexisting words just don’t cut it for writers. So they invent new ones. That was the case for terms like utopia, robot, and nerd. Whether they grew to be used in philosophical texts or on playgrounds, they have certainly entered our vocabulary. Let’s take a look at 11 examples!

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The word has been many things, from a schoolyard insult to a badge of honor for having certain interests. It first appeared in Dr. Seuss’s 1950 book If I Ran the Zoo, where a strange creature called a "Nerd" appears among other fanciful beasts.

Seuss didn’t define it as brainy or awkward, but within a few years, the word was popping up in slang to describe socially inept people or bookworms.

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Today, when we say "cyberspace," we mean the intangible digital world we enter when we go online. But the word was coined by sci-fi writer William Gibson in his 1982 short story Burning Chrome.

Gibson later famously described cyberspace as a "consensual hallucination" shared by billions of connected users. The term predates the World Wide Web by nearly a decade, yet it foresaw the immersive, sometimes overwhelming, reality of living digitally.

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Today, when we say we have "debunked" a myth, we mean that we have exposed it as false. The word itself, however, originated as a literary invention in 1923, coined by American writer William E. Woodward in his book Bunk.

Woodward used debunk to mean stripping nonsense, or "bunk" of its dignity, a definition that closely aligns with how the word is still used today.

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Today, we picture robots as everything from Roombas to humanoid androids, but the word itself dates back to a 1920 Czech play, R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) by Karel Čapek.

The term comes from robota, meaning "forced labor" or "drudgery." In the play, however, the "robots" were not mechanical but biological constructs, closer to what we might now call clones. Both the term and the concept spread quickly across Europe and the United States, reaching the vocabulary of more and more writers.

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When we say something is "utopic," we mean it’s impossibly ideal. The term "utopia" was coined by Sir Thomas More in his 1516 book Utopia, where he described an imaginary island society with perfect laws, harmony, and equality.

But the trick was in the name: in Greek, ou-topos means "no place" while eu-topos means "good place." The word took off quickly, giving us not only "utopia" but also its darker twin, "dystopia," which would dominate much of modern literature.

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Few words sound as delightful as what they mean, and "serendipity" is one of them. It refers to a happy accident, a lucky discovery made while looking for something else.

The term was coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole, a British writer and politician, inspired by a Persian fairy tale titled The Three Princes of Serendip. In the story, the princes are constantly making discoveries "by accident and sagacity."

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Fans of Harry Potter know Lumos as the spell that lights the tip of a wand. J. K. Rowling coined the word by drawing on Latin roots, such as lumen, meaning "light."

"Lumos" has since slipped into everyday use to the point that some smartphone voice assistants recognize it as a command to turn on a device’s flashlight.

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The word hobbit instantly evokes images of small, hairy-footed inhabitants of the Shire, thanks to J. R. R. Tolkien. A trained philologist with a deep fascination for languages, Tolkien coined numerous terms, including hobbit and mithril, that have since entered popular culture.

The word became widely recognized even beyond The Lord of the Rings fan base. While hobbit originally referred to a fictional race in Tolkien’s legendarium, it is now sometimes used informally to evoke something small, cozy, or diminutive in character.

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Today, we use tween to describe the awkward stage between childhood and adolescence, typically covering ages 9 to 12. The word itself, however, traces back to J. R. R. Tolkien, who first introduced the idea of "tweens."

In The Fellowship of the Ring, hobbits in their "tweens" were those between 20 and 33; no longer teenagers, but not yet considered fully adult in hobbit society. Marketers later borrowed the catchy term to describe human preteens, and it stuck.

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The word "gossip" feels inseparable from modern life. Yet it began as the Old English term godsibb, meaning a "godparent" or a close, trusted companion. It was Geoffrey Chaucer, in The Canterbury Tales, who helped nudge the meaning toward talk and chatter.

Over time, the term drifted further, shifting from "companion" to "idle talk" and, eventually, to its modern association with rumor and speculation.

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We all know what it means to be a butterfingers: clumsy, prone to dropping things, with hands seemingly as slippery as if coated in butter. This playful insult is often credited to Charles Dickens, who used it in his novel The Pickwick Papers to mock a character’s poor grip on objects.

It’s game time!

Do you speak "food Latin"? Let’s see if you guess these kitchen classics!

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Think you know your fruits and veggies better than the back of your hand? Let’s put that to the test. Scientists love fancy names, but behind all that Latin, you’ll find foods you probably have in your kitchen right now. Here’s a little guessing game: We’ll give you some clues about the origins, uses, or traditions tied to a food. Then we’ll reveal the answer. Let’s see how many you can get right!

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This little bulb has been keeping kitchens fragrant for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians swore by it for strength, while Italians turned it into a must-have for sauces. Love it or hate it, its smell lingers long after dinner. Any guesses in the room?

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This fruit has been part of human history since biblical times. It’s been baked into more pies than anyone can count. Just one bite every day, and you won’t be making any more doctor’s appointments. A crisp bite in autumn just can’t be beaten.

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This tart beauty first appeared in the Caribbean, but today it’s a breakfast table regular. Its zingy flavor divides people: some swear by it with a sprinkle of sugar, others can’t stand the bitterness. What do you think this is?

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Cool, crunchy, and packed with water, this veggie is a summer favorite. It sneaks into sandwiches, salads, and pickling jars across the globe. Ancient civilizations grew it thousands of years ago, and it hasn’t lost its charm. Wanna find the answer? Keep scrolling!

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Sweet, red, and heart-shaped, this fruit screams summertime. Wimbledon even made it a tradition, serving it with cream for over a century. You’ll see it on shortcakes, jams, and plenty of cereal boxes, too. You know it by now, don’t you?

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Farm stands overflow with this one in the fall. You’ll see kids carving it, bakers turning it into pies, and health nuts roasting its seeds. Native to the Americas, it’s been part of diets for thousands of years.

Below, you’ll find all the answers. Let’s see how many you got right!

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Did you guess this one? Allium sativum is garlic. Packed with flavor and believed to boost heart health, garlic is grown worldwide, but China leads the harvest. Whether roasted, minced, or sliced, it’s the soul of countless dishes. Are you team garlic or not?

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Malus domestica is none other than the apple. Did the "doctor’s appointment" reference give it away too soon? The United States, especially Washington State, is a top grower. From cider to applesauce, it’s hard to imagine an American table without it, right?

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Citrus paradisi is grapefruit! Florida is famous for its juicy varieties, loved for their vitamin C punch. Grapefruit even got its name because the fruits grow in clusters that look a lot like grapes. Now the debate stands: Sugar or no sugar?

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Cucumis sativus is a cucumber. India is its original home, though now you’ll find it growing just about everywhere. Whether sliced fresh or turned into pickles, it’s the definition of refreshing. And it also

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Red, heart-shaped… This one is the strawberry, of course! The United States, especially California, grows tons of them every year. Fun fact: strawberries aren’t true berries botanically, but don’t let science spoil dessert.

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That’s Cucurbita pepo, the pumpkin. From lattes in October to jack-o’-lanterns on Halloween, it’s an American seasonal icon. And yes, the seeds, called pepitas, are as nutritious as they are tasty.