Word of the Week – Crevice and Crevasse

The other night, my husband asked if crevice and crevasse were the same word. I, being the spelling nerd that I am, quickly replied that they were spelled differently, and insisted that crevice was a small crack and crevasse a large one.

But . . . it did seem like a bit of a coincidence, so I went to look it up. And discovered that, in fact, hubby and I were both right. They’re spelled differently, and the meanings are what I said–but they’re also the same word.

Both trace their roots to the French crevasse, which means simply a gap or crack. But over the centuries, crevice (the English spelling) took on a smaller and smaller meaning . . . so in the 1800s, people went back to the original word, crevasse, to stand in for those BIG gaps and cracks, like in glaciers or river banks.

I love it when we’re both right. 😉

And Happy Memorial Day! I’m saying a prayer today for all those veterans and family members of veterans who have served our country. I owe you a debt of gratitude. Your sacrifices will not be forgotten.