Language and Etymology Trivia Questions
Total Questions: 29
In the dictionary, what animal is 'dobbin,' originally a nickname for Robert, a term for?
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horse
What does the Latin word 'plumbum' mean, from which the term plumbing is derived?
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lead
What term for the extended family comes from the Gaelic word for 'children'?
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clan
What term, derived from the Dutch word 'verlof', refers to a leave of absence granted to military personnel?
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furlough
What is derived from the Greek word for 'ice' and is a high-quality glass that resembles ice?
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crystal
What term for flattering talk originates from a block of limestone found in County Cork, Ireland?
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blarney
What day of the week is referred to as Thorsdagr in Old Norse?
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thursday
What term for a copy or reproduction comes from the Latin meaning 'to make similar'?
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facsimile
What word, derived from the location where many Roman emperors lived, refers to a stately mansion?
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palace
What reptile's name is derived from the Spanish term 'el lagarto' meaning 'the lizard'?
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alligator
What term, derived from Latin for 'servant', refers to a gentleman's gentleman in English?
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valet
What is a type of periodical whose name originates from the Arabic word for 'storehouse,' makhzan?
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magazine
Which flower's name comes from the French word 'pens�e', meaning thought?
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pansy
What 4-letter word, derived from the Greek for 'deep sleep', describes a state of deep, prolonged unconsciousness?
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coma
What term, derived from the Latin word for 'foot,' refers to a person who travels on foot?
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pedestrian
What is the term for a certificate conferring a degree, derived from the Greek for 'folded paper'?
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diploma
From which city's name does the term 'Damascene,' known for ornamental work with wavy patterns, originate?
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damascus
What does the word 'nguba' mean to Kimbundu speakers, from which the term 'goober' is derived?
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peanut
What 10-letter word, derived from Greek, is another term for a pharmacist?
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apothecary
What word, derived from the Greek meaning 'to sell alone', refers to the exclusive control over the supply or trade of a product?
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monopoly
What is the term for a basin used to hold baptismal water, derived from the Latin word meaning 'fountain'?
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font
What term, derived from a Latin word meaning 'nephew,' describes the practice of giving important jobs to relatives?
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nepotism
What word, originating from a Greek term meaning 'to speak ill of', refers to irreverent talk of God?
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blasphemy
What is a violent storm whose name evolved from the Latin word for time?
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tempest
What record, originating from the Latin for 'daily allowance', details each day's events?
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diary
In the dictionary, what is the English translation of the French term 'peau de soie', which describes a type of dress fabric?
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silk
From which Greek word, meaning 'this beverage', is the term 'enology' derived?
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wine
What is the name of the sexually open party, whose name is derived from the same Greek word 'ergon' as 'work'?
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orgy
What is the word, originating from late Latin and the Hebrew Bible, that is sometimes used to refer to whales?
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leviathan
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