Good morning, everyone! In the past I’ve written about how words evolve, and I’ve shared a few words with you that have changed in meaning over the years—sometimes in surprising ways. Words are introduced with a particular meaning, but what really matters is how people use the words. I’m intrigued by how words sometimes morph and mutate. I hope you are too because I’m about to share some with you.
One of my favorite resources, GrammarBook.com, recently offered the following list of words that have evolved in meaning. They list each word along with the century it was first used, and they show the original meaning and the current meaning. Are you ready for some surprises? Don’t be nice, be dapper and read on! 😊
| Word | Early Meaning | Current Meaning |
| awful (13th) | worthy of awe (awe-full) | extremely bad |
| backlog (17th) | largest log in the hearth | large number of jobs to be done |
| bully (16th) | sweetheart | intimidating, quarrelsome person |
| clue (9th) | ball of yarn | bit of evidence for a solution |
| dapper (15th) | brave | stylish, neat, trim |
| egregious (16th) | distinguished, eminent | flagrantly bad |
| fathom (9th) | to encircle with one’s arms | to understand after much thought |
| flirt (16th) | to flick something away, act briskly | to act amorously without seriousness |
| girl (13th) | young person (either gender) | young female |
| guy (19th) | frightful figure | man, boy, fellow |
| naughty (14th) | having nothing (naught) | disobedient, improper |
| nice (13th) | foolish, simple, ignorant | kind, pleasing, agreeable |
| matrix (14th) | female breeding animal | pattern of lines and spaces |
| prestigious (16th) | involving trickery or illusion | honored |
Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®
8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Ext: 765432
About Editor’s Corner
Editor’s Corner keeps your communication skills sharp by providing information on grammar, punctuation, JHA style, and all things English. As editors, we spend our days reading, researching, and revising other people’s writing. We love to spend a few extra minutes to share what we learn with you and keep it fun while we’re doing it.
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