Evolution of terms

Are you guilty of using these 11 old-timey terms for everyday things?

Would you know what to give a person if they asked you to pass them the "clicker"? And would you say that you know how to safely handle a "range"? Some objects we see every day had very different names in their early days. So we’ve made a list of nostalgic terms that we stopped using over time. See if you know them all!

Why would you call a remote control a clicker? Simple: because of the sound it made when used. The original versions weren’t even electronic; instead, some used mechanical hammers that emitted a high-pitched click to signal the TV and control it remotely.

Before the devices we know today, shaving was a delicate art performed with straight blades. These were known as cut-throat razors, for obvious reasons.

Later, popularized by King C. Gillette in the early 1900s, the safety razor featured a protective guard to prevent deep cuts and made shaving safer for home use. Today, we just call them "razors" or call them by their brand.

Did your grandparents ever tell you to "put on your galoshes"? During the 19th century, the term referred to rubber overshoes worn to protect regular shoes from rain and mud. As waterproof rubber footwear (what we now call rain boots) became more widespread, many people began using galoshes to refer to those as well.

Old refrigerators where people cooled their perishables were known as iceboxes. They looked like wooden cabinets with metal linings inside, and contained large blocks of ice, which were delivered regularly by icemen. The ice sat in a compartment at the top, keeping food cool as it slowly melted, with runoff collected in a tray underneath.

As with galoshes, the term icebox continued to be used even after electric refrigerators became the norm.

Long before denim and jeans became the go-to terms, these work pants were often called dungarees. The name was less a nod to style or cut than to durability and purpose.

The term comes from Dongri, a dockside village near Mumbai, India, where a coarse, durable cotton fabric was produced and exported by the British in the 17th century. When the blue, strong fabric we know as "denim" became widespread, it made sense to call these garments the same way rugged pants had always been called.

You might be thinking, "Don’t we still use that word?" Of course we do. But there was a time when very few homes on the block had the technology to receive phone calls at all.

During the late 20th century, as portable telephones became widespread, a new term was required to refer to the phones with physical cables connected to underground networks. Thus, the word landline emerged to differentiate them from mobile phones.

"Spectacles" might sound quaint today, but for a long time, it was the standard word for a vision-correcting device. Early lenses were handheld and were introduced in Europe in the late 13th century!

The switch to the term glasses began in the 20th century, as optical glass became the standard lens material, and gained popularity largely through colloquial shortening.

Before Spotify playlists and digital shuffles, music lovers gathered around a turntable spinning at the center of the room. This was the common term for the rotating platform used to play vinyl records. Today, as vinyl has made an unexpected comeback, the term is often replaced in casual speech by record player.

This is another word we still use frequently, though its meaning has shifted over time. When typewriters were a must in every office, people often referred to the entire machine simply as **the keyboard**—a classic example of synecdoche.

Of course, the term keyboard was carried over from typewriters, and now we use it to refer mostly to the QWERTY set of keys.

Range was once the common term for a large cooking appliance with multiple burners and compartments—in other words, a long, horizontal cooking surface that could "range" across different heat zones.

As gas and electric stoves became more compact and widely accessible in the 20th century, stove increasingly replaced range in everyday speech.

Today, the word wireless brings to mind Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-connected headphones. But many technologies were "wireless" long before that. Early radio, in fact, was commonly referred to as wireless.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, radio was known as wireless telegraphy because it allowed messages to be transmitted without physical wires. The term gradually faded as the technology evolved, and radio became the standard term by the 1930s.

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.