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."

Hospital secrets

What is a "Code Gray" and what you should know if you hear it at the E.R.

A trip to the emergency room can be stressful enough without hearing doctors and nurses speak a language that sounds like a secret code. One minute, someone is asking for medication "STAT," the next there’s a "Code Gray," and another patient is suddenly "NPO." What do those words really mean? Some are official medical terms, others are insider slang, but they all help hospital staff communicate quickly when every second counts. Here are 10 of those codes explained.

The E.R. can be hectic and unpredictable. Most patients are frightened or uncomfortable, but now and then someone becomes aggressive because of pain, confusion, mental illness, or the effects of alcohol or other substances. That’s when you can hear "Code Gray" announced over the speakers.

The code is used to summon security officers to help manage a violent or combative situation. While color codes vary from one hospital to another, Code Gray commonly signals that staff needs extra assistance to protect patients, visitors, and healthcare workers. Even if you know it now, most people in the waiting room never know what happened, and that’s exactly the point.

You have a scheduled surgery, you’re in your bed waiting to be taken to the surgery room, and you ask for a cup of coffee to make the wait lighter. The nurse will probably tell you you’re an NPO. You may think it’s serious, but it’s simply a procedure.

"NPO" is an abbreviation that comes from the Latin phrase Nil Per Os, which means "nothing by mouth." It tells patients they cannot eat, drink, or sometimes even take medication until doctors say it’s safe. The rule is most common before surgery or certain medical tests, when food or liquids could increase the risk of complications or alter the results. It may be frustrating, but it’s an important part of keeping patients safe.

You’ve probably been through the experience of visiting an emergency room, either to get checked or to visit a loved one. In that part of the hospital where everyone is rushing to save lives, you’ve probably heard a doctor asking for the R.C.P. cart or medication "STAT!" It sounds urgent, and that's because it is.

The expression comes from the Latin statim, which means "immediately" or "without delay." Hospitals have used Latin medical terms for centuries, but STAT is one of the few that remains part of everyday conversation. When a doctor says it, the request jumps to the top of the priority list. It doesn’t always refer to a life-or-death situation, but it does mean the medical team needs something done as quickly as possible.

Newborns are always a reason to celebrate at the hospital. Parents usually rest happily next to their child as they receive congratulations from close relatives. However, the hospital is always prepared to handle extremely rare emergencies under "code pink."

If you hear a "Code Pink," it usually means a baby or young child is suspected of being abducted from the hospital. Within seconds, security officers respond, exits may be monitored or blocked, and staff begins following carefully rehearsed procedures. Although different hospitals sometimes use different color codes, Code Pink has become widely recognized across North America as one of the most serious alerts a hospital can issue.

If you’ve ever spent a few days in the hospital, you’ve probably noticed that some patients are walking up and down the halls, while others need help just getting out of bed. When a nurse refers to someone as a "walkie-talkie," it’s actually good news.

This informal expression refers to patients who can walk on their own, use the bathroom without assistance, and handle most basic tasks independently. It’s not an official medical term, of course, but it’s commonly used among healthcare workers because it quickly tells the next shift that the patient requires less hands-on care than many others.

As nurses change shifts, you’ll often hear them give a quick report about each patient. One person may only need medication, while another is described as a "total."

The term is short for a patient who requires total care. They may need help eating, bathing, getting dressed, turning in bed, or moving from one place to another. Although the expression sounds impersonal, it’s simply a practical way for caregivers to communicate how much assistance someone needs.

Most people hear "frequent flyer" and think of an airline reward program. And that’s correct, but in an emergency room, the phrase has a very different meaning.

A frequent flyer is an informal nickname for patients who repeatedly return to the hospital, often due to chronic illness, recurring medical conditions, or other ongoing health issues. Behind the light-hearted nickname is often a difficult reality. Many of these patients are simply dealing with medical problems that require regular emergency care, and the expression is just a way to make the experience a bit lighter among the familiar faces of doctors and nurses.

Not all codes are for patients. The next time you’re in a hospital, look closely at what the nurse is pushing from room to room. It may look like a small rolling desk with a computer on top. Staff often call it a "WOW," short for "workstation on wheels."

As hospitals switched from paper charts to electronic medical records, these mobile computers became essential. Nurses use them to review test results, scan medications, update patient charts, and check doctors’ orders without leaving the bedside. The name sounds funny, but the technology helps caregivers spend more time with patients instead of walking back and forth to a nursing station.

After getting a shot or having blood drawn, most patients never think about where the used needle ends up. It certainly doesn't go into an ordinary trash can.

Hospitals place needles, scalpels, and other sharp medical instruments into special containers designed to prevent accidental injuries. These sturdy, puncture-resistant boxes are sealed when full and safely disposed of in accordance with strict health regulations. This not only protects nurses, but it also protects cleaning crews, waste handlers, and even the public from dangerous needle sticks. It’s one of the most important safety measures in every hospital, even though most patients never notice it.

If you’ve ever watched a medical drama, you've probably seen a patient become so agitated that several staff members rush into the room. In situations like that, a doctor or nurse may ask for a "B-52." But the name has nothing to do with numbers themselves; it actually comes from a medicine.

B-52 is hospital slang for a fast-acting injection used to calm down patients who are severely combative or at risk of harming themselves or others. The nickname comes from a commonly used combination of medications that usually include diphenhydramine, haloperidol, and lorazepam. It’s strictly reserved for when other methods of calming the patient haven’t worked.