A what?

11 common objects that are never called by their proper names

While we typically go about life describing the end of our shoelaces as ‘the end of the shoelace’ or the whites of the egg as ‘egg whites’, these things, and many more, have names of their own, even if they are not always widely known or used. Let’s have a look at 11 common things that have proper names, even if no one uses them.

The little plastic or metal tip at the end of shoelaces or drawstrings is there to prevent the fibres from fraying, and to make it easier to pass the lace or drawstring through a hole. Its proper name is ‘aglet’, from the French aguillette, meaning ‘needle’, a reference to its use in helping to thread the string through the hole.

Erasers at the end of wooden pencils are not usually glued together, but they are instead held together by a little metal band. This band is called a ‘ferrule’—from Medieval Latin viriola or ‘little bracelet’—and the term can be used for any metal band that strengthens or fastens a joint, such as those used in handles, to hold brush bristles, or to secure a connection between two cables.

The ‘little plastic table on the pizza’ is quite a long name for something aptly named ‘pizza saver’, but no one seems to really care. It was invented in 1974 by an Argentine pizza maker, who named it SEPI or separador de pizza (‘pizza separator’). In America, it was patented as a ‘package saver’ in 1985, though it was later renamed ‘pizza saver’.

Most mathematical symbols have proper names that are not regularly used, and the division sign is no exception. It was officially introduced into mathematics as a symbol of division in 1659 by the Swiss mathematician Johann Rahn in his influential work Teutsche Algebra. This sign is called an ‘obelus’, from the Greek obelos, meaning ‘sharpened stick’ or ‘skewer’, as it was initially used as a pointer for questionable passages in a text.

Paper cups and their corresponding cardboard sleeves to protect our hands from the heat or the cold are relatively new, but their proper names are not—at least, the name for the cardboard sleeve. This holder is called a ‘zarf’, an Arabic (zuruuf) and Turkish (zarflar) word used for ornamented cup holders, usually made from metal. The materials and the details of the zarf have changed, but the purpose still remains.

Do we need a more technical term than ‘armhole’ for a hole meant for an arm to go through? Maybe not, but the technical term still exists. An ‘armscye’ (pronounced arm-sigh) is the proper term used in sewing and patterns to describe the opening on a garment where the sleeve is attached. The word is a compound of ‘arm’ + scye, a Scots word meaning ‘opening’. So, in the end, ‘armscye’ just means ‘armhole’.

We often use the words ‘railing’ or ‘handrail’ when talking about a staircase, but these terms only describe the top portion of it, not the pillars that support the handrail. The pillars and the rail altogether are called a ‘banister’, a corruption of the word baluster, derived from the Italian balaustro. The term originally was used for the pillars, but eventually came to mean the entire structure.

Not all beverage foams are equal. The foam on top of alcoholic beverages, in particular, is called ‘barm’, a term derived from Old English beorma, meaning ‘yeast’ or ‘leaven’, and it's mainly used for the effervescence of fermented liquors such as beer, ale, or wine.

Did you know that the white (or clear) part of the egg is called the ‘albumen’? The term entered English as a loan from Latin, where _albumen_—from albus, ‘white’—was used in the same way. Though it is not widely used in everyday life, it’s still the correct term for that part of the egg.

As a rule of thumb, you should always assume that all marks, symbols, and strokes in calligraphy have a proper name, even if it's not often used. When it comes to the lowercase letters ‘j’ and ‘i ’, the little dot on top is not a dot, but a ‘tittle’. This name comes from the Latin _titulus_—meaning ‘title’, ‘inscription’, or ‘small mark’—and was initially used by scribes to distinguish these letters in their cramped writing.

If you ever got lost in the mall or the museum, you must have come across a map that marked your location using an arrow or a pointer, usually accompanied by the phrase ‘you are here’. Well, that pointer is called an ‘ideolocator’, a combination of the Greek idea, a ‘mental image, concept, or visual representation’ (in this case, the pointer), and the Latin locatus, meaning ‘to place’ (the specific location on the map). For the sake of convenience, we will keep calling it the ‘you are here’ sign.

BAD IDEAS

Crash and burn: The 10 biggest product fails of all time

Image: Steve Johnson

Not every innovation is destined to succeed. Some ideas might sound promising on paper but fail to meet real-world consumer needs. And these flops aren’t always easy to prevent— even the most successful companies make mistakes that end up costing millions. From the infamous Ford Edsel to Colgate-branded frozen meals, there’s no shortage of failed products that should have never left the drawing board. Join us on a journey through 10 of the biggest commercial failures of all time!

Image: James Yarema

In 1985, Coca-Cola made the bold decision to change its classic formula in an attempt to compete with the rising popularity of Pepsi. The new version, known as "New Coke," was sweeter and aimed at capturing Pepsi's younger customer base. Coca-Cola’s executives believed this shift would boost sales but completely underestimated the emotional attachment millions of loyal Coke drinkers had to the original formula.

Consumer outrage was immediate, and the company was flooded with angry letters, petitions, and protests, all accompanied by disappointing sales. Just three months later, Coca-Cola was forced to reintroduce the original formula under the name Coca-Cola Classic. The episode is now remembered as a cautionary tale about the risks of tampering with beloved brands.

Image: Peter Secan

Though you may have never heard of it, the Edsel was Ford's failed attempt to introduce a new automotive brand in the late 1950s. Marketed as the car of the future and named after Henry Ford’s son, Edsel Ford, the first model featured innovative elements like a push-button transmission and an overall modern design.

Unfortunately, it became a major commercial flop. While Ford executives expected it to dominate its price segment, consumers found the car unattractive and plagued by mechanical issues. The marketing hype had raised expectations so high that the car ultimately failed to live up to them, leading to one of the biggest automotive failures in history.

Image: Bruno Kelzer

Anyone with common sense would know that perfumes and Harley-Davidsons are not exactly a match made in heaven. The rugged, tough image of the motorcycle brand doesn’t align well with the idea of a pleasant fragrance—unless grease and gasoline are your go-to cologne.

Well, despite this being obvious, Harley-Davidson briefly ventured into the fragrance business in the 1990s. The ill-advised idea didn’t last long, as the brand’s consumers were confused by it, and the high-end fragrance market showed little interest. The result? The mismatched perfume was quietly pulled from shelves shortly after its release.

Image: Les Corpographes

While not a complete failure—similar devices made by other companies are still being made after all—the product never lived up to its inflated expectations. When the Segway was introduced in 2001, it was billed as a groundbreaking personal transport device that would revolutionize how people got around in cities.

And while the self-balancing technology was impressive, the high cost that came with it put it out of reach for most consumers. Additionally, city infrastructure wasn’t really designed to accommodate the device, making it impractical for daily use. The original Segway was discontinued in 2020, after almost two decades of poor sales.

Image: Rachel Loughman

Who in their right mind sees a can of baby food and thinks, "We can market this to adults, you know"? Apparently, Gerber's marketing executives did. In 1974, Gerber, a brand known for its baby food, made a puzzling attempt to target adults with "Gerber Singles," a line of pureed meals.

The concept was simple: convenient, single-serve meals for adults seeking quick nutrition. However, most people weren’t interested in eating what felt like astronaut food on a daily basis. As expected, the product flopped almost immediately, with consumers finding the idea unappealing and even infantilizing. It quickly became an industry joke and was swiftly pulled from the market.

Image: Bermix Studio

When companies rush to introduce innovative products for quick profits, they sometimes overlook the testing phase. In 1998, Frito-Lay launched Wow! Chips, a revolutionary product marketed as fat-free snacks made with olestra, a fat substitute that couldn’t be absorbed by the body.

While the idea of guilt-free snacking seemed appealing, the new component caused very unpleasant—and rather laxative—effects on people. The product quickly earned a bad reputation, and consumers avoided it. A few years later, most olestra-based chips were removed from the market.

Image: Christian Allard

What’s with well-established companies trying to venture into the fragrance industry? In the 1980s, Bic, a brand famous for its disposable pens, reliable lighters, and inexpensive razors, attempted to introduce a line of cheap, disposable perfumes. The idea was that consumers would buy fragrance as easily as they would a pen or lighter.

However, the concept of throwaway perfume didn’t resonate with the public, who typically associate perfumes with luxury and longevity. Additionally, the market for cheap perfumes was already oversaturated. Why would consumers choose a Bic perfume over other options? Sales were dismal, and the product quickly disappeared from shelves.

Image: Diana Polekhina

Sometimes companies give too much credit to the bizarre conclusions of hare-brained marketing brainstorm sessions, but rarely as much as when Colgate decided to enter the frozen food market in the 1980s. Colgate Kitchen Entrees offered a range of ready-to-eat meals, from lasagna to roasted chicken.

However, consumers were clearly put off by the idea of buying food from a brand so closely associated with dental hygiene. Unsurprisingly, sales were terrible, as the Colgate name universally evokes thoughts of toothpaste rather than appetizing meals. Remembered as one of the worst marketing decisions in history, the experiment was quickly terminated.

Image: Ivan Torres

You could excuse McDonald’s for trying to expand into the pizza industry. After all, their business is fast food, and pizza is one of the most popular fast-ish food items in the world. They tried their luck with the concept in the late 1980s by introducing the McPizza, hoping to capture a share of the pizza market.

However, the pizzas took too long to prepare, clashing with McDonald’s fast-food model. Additionally, customers didn’t really associate McDonald’s with pizza, preferring their classic menu items instead. As a result, the experiment was short-lived, and most locations phased out McPizza by the mid-1990s.

Image: Dylan Carr

Google Glass debuted in 2013 as a cutting-edge wearable device offering augmented reality. The futuristic glasses allowed users to take photos, access the internet, and receive notifications. Despite the hype surrounding its potential, privacy concerns emerged over the built-in camera, with fears that it could lead to covert surveillance in public spaces.

But what ultimately doomed the concept was its high cost combined with limited functionality for everyday users. More of a prototype than a finished product, Google Glass struggled to find a mainstream market. It was quietly discontinued in 2015, though it is still credited with advancing the trend of wearable technology.