Etymoleon - Word History, the etymology podcast.

A 4,000-year-old carving may be one of the oldest maps in Europe. A west coast American state appeared as an island on maps for centuries. An African territory remains unclaimed because colonial boundary agreements make ownership disadvantageous for both neighbouring countries. 

Alongside these histories, this episode traces the origins of words such as atlas, treaty, latitude, California, occident, plagiarism and condominium. 

Transition sound by https://audionautix.com 
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56648055 

https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/world-book 

https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/departures/california-calafia-khalif-the-origin-of-the-name-california 

https://blogs.loc.gov/maps/2020/06/hy-brasil-the-supernatural-island/ 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/03/welcome-to-the-land-that-no-country-wants-bir-tawil 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1203480.stm 

https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/stories/design/mapping-london-iconic-tube-map 

https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/what-are-charles-booths-poverty-maps

This podcast returns on July 12th 2026. A 19th century decision involving 24 rabbits reshaped an entire continent. The inventor of an explosive became synonymous with peace. A president's speech turned a game into a metaphor for consequence. 

Alongside these histories, this episode traces the origins of words such as sequela, corollary, irruption, repercussion and domino. 

Transition sound by https://audionautix.com  
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https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/rabbits-introduced 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/23/australias-rabbit-invasion-traced-back-to-single-importation-of-24-animals-in-1859-study-finds 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSCeqt5im-A 

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/history/how-dynamite-spawned-nobel-prizes

This podcast returns on June 28th 2026. An experiment suggests most people would rather give themselves an electric shock than sit alone with boredom. Excavations reveal students were being punished with the monotony of writing lines thousands of years ago. The computer game millions of office workers have used to kill time was created by an intern.

Alongside these histories, this episode traces the origins of words such as monotony, ennui, onychophagy, ad nauseam, flâneur, meander and cliché.

Transition sound by https://audionautix.com  

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orQKfIXMiA8

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/60360466

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/a-noble-experiment-how-solitary-came-to-america/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/travel/article/20191027-the-word-that-encapsulates-frenchness

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/guy-wrote-windows-solitaire-did-231250280.html

A Hollywood actress's workout helped drive sales of VCRs. A video rental chain laughed at the chance to buy a future streaming giant. Video replay transformed how NFL referees judged the game.

Alongside these histories, this episode traces the origins of words such as betamax, footage, record, kinescope, bootleg, blockbuster and leotard.

Transition sound by https://audionautix.com  

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https://www.wipo.int/en/web/wipo-magazine/articles/50-years-of-the-video-cassette-recorder-35495

https://janefonda.com/the-workout/

https://www.oed.com/discover/revision-bootleg

https://time.com/5776406/blockbuster-meaning/

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/sep/14/netflix-marc-randolph-founder-blockbuster

https://operations.nfl.com/officiating/instant-replay/history-of-instant-replay

A queen travelled with her dead husband's corpse, reportedly opening the coffin along the journey to kiss his feet. The rejection of repeated marriage proposals may have helped shape some of a poet's best work. Studies suggest pheromones can influence how discerning people are when judging the attractiveness of others.

Alongside these histories, this episode traces the origins of words such as callipygian, panache, olfactophilia, limerence, pulchritude, uxorious and sillage.

Transition sound by https://audionautix.com  

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3oCuFRk09w

https://www.independent.ie/regionals/sligo/lifestyle/yeats-and-gonne-a-love-story/40066934.html

https://www.tutor2u.net/psychology/reference/relationships-physical-attractiveness