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Etymology Trivia Questions

Total Questions: 11

What element does the Latin phrase 'per fumum' in the etymology of the word 'perfume' translate as 'through'?

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smoke

What term, originating from Hebrew, describes a little angel often shown as a rosy-cheeked child?

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cherub

What word, meaning an ignorant person, originated from the name of John Duns Scotus?

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dunce

From which percussion instrument does the word 'chime' originate?

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cymbal

What term for the poisonous secretion of a snake originates from the Latin word for 'poison'?

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venom

Which term, derived from the Greek words nostos meaning 'a return home' and algos meaning 'pain', describes the pain felt when remembering the past?

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nostalgia

What is a coverlet made of two layers of fabric with a layer of cotton between, originating from the Latin word 'culcita' meaning 'mattress'?

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quilt

What term, originating from the Greek word for 'witness,' refers to someone who dies for their faith, such as a Christian thrown to the lions?

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martyr

The word 'blanket' is derived in part from Old French for what color?

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white

What 2-bladed snipping tool gets its name from the Latin word 'caedere' which means 'to cut'?

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scissors

What word, originating from the Latin term for 'worm', is defined as 'animals obnoxious to man'?

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vermin

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