Word of the Week – Water

Getting down the basics, aren’t I? 😉 

I had actually looked up water to determine when “water closet” came to be used for a bathroom, but there were some other interesting entries too.

And it starts with the beginning. Did you know that there used to be two words for water? One began with ap- and the other with wed-. The first was for water as a living thing, meaning “animate.” A force of life. (And fire most likely had the same thing, though they haven’t traced it so clearly.) The second was for the inanimate, regular ol’ version.

Then we get into the fun phrases. =) “To keep one’s head above water” in the figurative sense surprised me by being from 1742. I would have thought it slightly newer than that. Also surprising is the one I looked the word up for–“water closet” is from 1755.

In 1818 they were introduced to “water-ice,” a confections…like a snow cone, I should think, right? “Water cooler” joined the club in 1846, and “water polo” in 1884.

And as we’re entering Thanksgiving week, allow me to wish everyone a wonderful holiday. I know I’m super-thankful for each and every one of you!