Are you a quidnunc?
The word 'quidnunc' first appeared around the year 1710, in Irish writer and politician Sir Richard Steele's journal The Tatler: 'The...
Latin
Pound is abbreviated ‘lb’ after the constellation Libra
The unit pound is abbreviated ‘lb’ which comes from the constellation Libra. The word libra means ‘balance scales’ in Latin....
What is the area between the eyebrows called?
The projecting area between the two eyebrows, which is just above the nose, is called the glabella. It is triangular...
Why is 17 considered an unlucky number in Italy?
The number 17 can be written in Roman as XVII. When these numerals are rearranged, it reads VIXI, which means...
Ever wondered where the word ‘diamond’ comes from?
The diamond is the hardest substance known, and therefore unbreakable. The word ‘diamond’ is derived from adamas, a Greek word...
The interesting origin of the word ‘tripos’
Tripos is the final honours examination for a BA degree at Cambridge University. This word originates from the Latin word...
