Etymoleon - Word History, the etymology podcast. cover art

Etymoleon - Word History, the etymology podcast.

Etymoleon - Word History, the etymology podcast.

By: Leon Bailey-Green
Listen for free

Word History is a podcast for people who enjoy words and history.


Each episode takes a small set of words linked to a theme. You'll hear what they mean, where they come from and which familiar words share the same linguistic roots, along with stories from the past related to their use.


Listen for words that sharpen expression, and brief histories that show how ideas and practices, as well as language, took shape. Across an archive of more than a hundred episodes, you'll find explanations of word, name and phrase origins.


The majority of etymologies featured return to Old English, Ancient Greek, Latin and Old French, providing a look into languages of the past that underpin English.


New episodes on Sundays.


Get in touch: https://etymoleon.com


Etymoleon is produced by Leon Bailey-Green.

© 2026 Leon Bailey-Green World
Episodes
  • 123. Boredom

    123. Boredom
    Jun 14 2026

    This podcast returns on June 28th 2026. An experiment suggests most people would rather give themselves an electric shock than sit alone with boredom. Excavations reveal students were being punished with the monotony of writing lines thousands of years ago. The computer game millions of office workers have used to kill time was created by an intern.

    Alongside these histories, this episode traces the origins of words such as monotony, ennui, onychophagy, ad nauseam, flâneur, meander and cliché.

    Transition sound by https://audionautix.com

    -
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orQKfIXMiA8

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/60360466

    https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/a-noble-experiment-how-solitary-came-to-america/

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/travel/article/20191027-the-word-that-encapsulates-frenchness

    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/guy-wrote-windows-solitaire-did-231250280.html
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • 122. VCR

    122. VCR
    Jun 7 2026

    A Hollywood actress's workout helped drive sales of VCRs. A video rental chain laughed at the chance to buy a future streaming giant. Video replay transformed how NFL referees judged the game.

    Alongside these histories, this episode traces the origins of words such as betamax, footage, record, kinescope, bootleg, blockbuster and leotard.

    Transition sound by https://audionautix.com

    -

    https://www.wipo.int/en/web/wipo-magazine/articles/50-years-of-the-video-cassette-recorder-35495

    https://janefonda.com/the-workout/

    https://www.oed.com/discover/revision-bootleg

    https://time.com/5776406/blockbuster-meaning/

    https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/sep/14/netflix-marc-randolph-founder-blockbuster

    https://operations.nfl.com/officiating/instant-replay/history-of-instant-replay

    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • 121. Attraction

    121. Attraction
    May 31 2026

    A queen travelled with her dead husband's corpse, reportedly opening the coffin along the journey to kiss his feet. The rejection of repeated marriage proposals may have helped shape some of a poet's best work. Studies suggest pheromones can influence how discerning people are when judging the attractiveness of others.

    Alongside these histories, this episode traces the origins of words such as callipygian, panache, olfactophilia, limerence, pulchritude, uxorious and sillage.

    Transition sound by https://audionautix.com

    -

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3oCuFRk09w

    https://www.independent.ie/regionals/sligo/lifestyle/yeats-and-gonne-a-love-story/40066934.html

    https://www.tutor2u.net/psychology/reference/relationships-physical-attractiveness
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet