There is no butter in a butterfly. And while we are at it, there is no ham in a hamburger.
Okay, so hamburger actually refers to the city. In the 19th century, Hamburg was famous for high-quality beef, which was chopped, seasoned, and often served as a patty. German immigrants brought this food to the United States.
Butterfly? This one originates from the Old English buttorflēoge, the buttor likely referring to the yellow color of certain species, such as the brimstone butterfly — or perhaps in the belief that the insects (sometimes believed to be witches in disguise) consumed milk and butter.
Hot dogs might be hot, but they are not made of dog (we hope). German immigrants brought those to this country as well. The term hot dog likely originated in the 1880s to 1890s in the United States as college students’ satirical nickname for the long, thin, dachshund sausages, as they were called. However, there were some malicious jokes that they were made of dog meat.
Strawberries are indeed berries, but they are yummy and don’t taste or look anything like straw. The word dates back to around 1000 AD and comes from the Old English streawberige. Streaw refers to how the plant’s runners spread along the ground, making it look as if it has been strewn (strewn berry).
Stepmother (and the rest of the step relatives) has nothing do with steps or “to step.” It comes from the Germanic steupa– prefix, which means “bereft” or “orphaned.” It is connected to the Old English astiepan and bestiepan, meaning to deprive or bereave.
Yes, grapefruit is a fruit, but it is not a grape. However, it was so named because grapefruit grow in tight clusters on trees, resembling bunches of grapes (big grapes!). The grapefruit was originally called “forbidden fruit” in 1750, but was renamed grapefruit in Jamaica in the early 1800s. It is a hybrid of a pummelo and an orange, originating in Barbados.
A bulldozer has nothing to do with dozing or bulls really. And it has a strange beginning. Bulldozer originated in the United States in the late 1800s as “bull-dose” (a large, effective dose of medicine or punishment). It later evolved into “bulldoze,” to coerce or intimidate someone with severe violence (specifically used to suppress Black voters in the 1876 election). It was only applied to powerful earth-moving tractors in the 1920s. Who knew?
When I see my granddaughter attempt a cartwheel in gymnastics class, I don’t think of carts. However, this compound word originated somewhere around 1350 to 1400, and it did indeed initially refer to the spoked wheel of a wagon or cart. Its has been used to describe the acrobatic move beginning in the 19th century because the movement does resemble the turning of a cart’s wheel.
Ever see a herringbone jacket or scarf? Refer to the illustration in this blog post. While it may not make you think of the fish or of bones, herringbone is indeed named for its resemblance to the V-shaped backbone of the herring fish. The design is commonly used in textiles and in flooring. English usage dates back to the mid 1600s.
Are all ladybugs female? Of course not. So why are they called that? The “lady” refers to the Virgin Mary. The word originated in the 1690s. European farmers used to pray to Mary to save their crops from pests. The insects appeared and ate the aphids that were destroying the crops. They were named ladybugs, or Our Lady’s beetles in gratitude.
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