Hypochondria derives from the Greek preposition hypo, meaning “under,” as in the hypodermic that goes under the skin, and hypothermia, the condition of being insufficient heat. The -chondria in hypochondria comes from Greek chondros, meaning...
There’s a proverb that goes “beloved children have many names.” At least, that’s true when it comes to the names we give our pets. “Fluffy” becomes “Fluffers” becomes “FluffFace” becomes “FlufferNutter, Queen of the Universe.” Speaking of the...
A listener in Lashio, Myanmar, reports that a term of endearment in the local language translates as “my little liver.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “My Little Liver” Our conversation about terms of endearment in different...
Aaron in Green Bay, Wisconsin, grew up hearing his father say someone had more excuses than Carter’s got pills, or more money than Carter’s got pills. The comparison points to Carter’s Little Liver Pills, a heavily advertised patent medicine...
A recent study found that some names crop up more frequently than others in certain professions. The name William is especially common among attorneys–and graphic designers include a higher-than-average number of Jessicas. Plus, picturesque idioms...
White-livered, like lily-livered, can mean cowardly or timid. Cree, whose grandmother is from Mississippi, heard a different Southern folk meaning: a person with a white liver, or white spots on the liver, was thought to have an insatiable sexual...