Oops! Let’s keep it that way

You only say "OK" because of a joke from the 1800s

Image: Lucian Alexe

Some words we use daily weren’t born from deliberate invention—they were flukes and accidents. All kinds of typos, mishearings, and bungled translations gave rise to many terms that stuck until today. Find out which 10 words exist only because someone made a mistake—and didn’t fix it.

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In 1791, Richard Daly made a bet that he could create a word in 48 hours. He spread "quiz" through graffiti across town, and soon everyone was talking about the mysterious word.

Initially, it meant an odd fellow or joker before evolving into its modern meaning. Not all etymologists agree with this origin story, but there aren’t many contenders either.

Image: Andrew Dawes

Nylon’s name came from an attempt to call it "No-Run" (suggesting stockings wouldn’t tear), but DuPont couldn’t trademark common words, so they tweaked the letters.

Today, it’s one of the most common synthetic fibers in the world.

Image: Hannes Johnson

The canned meat got its name from a random suggestion during a brainstorming session, possibly short for "spiced ham."

While its origins are a bit fuzzy, the name stuck. Ironically, it later became slang for unwanted email, thanks to a Monty Python skit.

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Newspapers in Boston and New York loved jokey abbreviations. "OK" was one of them, perhaps stemming from a joke misspelling of "all correct" as "oll korrect," a humorous fad in the 1830s.

The word became so popular that it entered multiple languages as a global signal of agreement or approval.

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The term "cab" for a taxi came from "cabriolet," a French word for a light horse-drawn carriage, shortened by English speakers who mispronounced it.

By the time motorized taxis arrived, "cab" was already shorthand for a vehicle-for-hire. The name stuck even though the original meaning faded.

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"Dandelion" comes from French **dent de lion**—"lion’s tooth"—but the word was altered in English over time.

As it passed from Old French to Middle English, pronunciation shifted and spelling changed.

Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya

Ironically, "gunk" was originally a brand name for a degreasing product, but people used it generically, and the definition morphed over time.

By the mid-20th century, "gunk" meant any unpleasant mess—one of many cases of a brand losing its name to everyday language.

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"Robot" entered English via a 1920 Czech play, where the word robota meant forced labor.

The play itself was a critique of mechanization and the ways it can dehumanize people, but the word stuck as a shorthand for any kind of mechanical being.

Image: Amador Loureiro

"Galore" came from the Gaelic expression go leor, meaning "plenty," but was misread as a single English word.

It entered English in the 17th century via Irish immigrants. Rather than translate it, writers took the phrase at face value.

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"Groom" once meant a boy or servant. Its evolution to mean "bridegroom" was a confusion of roles and job titles in Middle English.

While its roots are related to the Old English word guma (meaning "man"), over time, the term narrowed to describe a man who is getting married.

Deep roots

11 everyday words with indigenous roots

English is a very welcoming language in the sense that it incorporates terms from many other languages from all over the world. And, as it couldn’t be otherwise, Native American languages have lent many of their words and terms to English speakers. Some traveled through Spanish or French before settling into English, and others arrived directly through early contact and trade, helping shape the way we speak today. Did you know about these 11 terms?

The word "canoe" comes from the Taino term canoa, which was first used by Caribbean islanders long before Europeans arrived. Early explorers adopted it to describe the slim, sturdy boats they saw.

Over time, "canoe" became the standard English word for a small paddled craft. Today it still carries that sense of simplicity and closeness to nature.

The word "barbecue" comes from barbacoa, another Taino term for a wooden frame used for cooking meat over fire. Europeans adopted it and applied it to both the method and the gathering itself.

Today, "barbecue" means everything from a backyard cookout to a regional cooking style. Its origins highlight the deep culinary influence of Native Americans in the nation's current culture.

"Skunk" comes from the Algonquian word squnk, which means "urinating fox" (quite a fitting term, indeed). This was an obvious reference to the animal’s strong defensive spray. Early settlers adopted the term directly.

Since English had no better name for the creature, the Native word stuck. Today, the word skunks is also used as playful slang.

The word "moose" originates from Eastern Abenaki, a part of the Algonquian family, where it meant "he strips off bark." Yes, it described the animal’s habit of tearing bark from trees.

The name entered English quickly because settlers relied on Native knowledge of local fauna. The word remains unchanged because of its accuracy and usefulness.

"Raccoon" comes from the Powhatan word arakun, meaning "he scratches with his hands." It described the animal’s clever, humanlike front paws.

Settlers adopted the term because it captured the creature’s behavior beautifully. Today, the raccoon is used as a household symbol of curiosity, not unlike the animal itself.

The term "chipmunk" most probably comes from the Ojibwe word ajidamoo, which means "one who descends trees headfirst." Early English settlers adapted the sound into today’s form.

Though the spelling changed over time, the lively image of a chipmunk racing down a tree face-first stayed.

The word "caribou" comes from the Mi’kmaq term qalipu, which means "snow shoveler," referring to the animal’s habit of digging through snow for food.

French settlers brought the word into English, keeping its descriptive nature. The name still connects the modern animal to the winter landscapes it belongs to.

"Totem" comes from the Ojibwe word ototeman, which means "kinship group." It described symbols representing clans and shared roots.

English adopted it to describe carved poles and symbolic elements. Though broader in modern usage, it still hints at the original sense of community, identity, and heritage.

"Coyote" comes from the Nahuatl word coyōtl, which was used by Indigenous tribes of central Mexico. Spanish speakers adopted it, and English borrowed later.

The word kept its meaning, and it remains one of the most direct links between the English language and Nahuatl.

The tasty avocado’s name traces to the Nahuatl word ahacatl, which refers to the fruit and to a body part as well. Spanish speakers transformed it into aguacate.

Later on, English speakers adapted it to avocado. While the name sounds contemporary and culinary, it has ancient Native roots.

The last Nahuatl word and also the last word on the list comes from the term xocolātl, which describes a bitter cacao drink that was consumed long before Europeans arrived in America. The name traveled from Spanish to English.

Though the product changed dramatically, the word survived. Today, chocolate is a universal symbol of sweetness, with rich and deeply indigenous roots.