![Here’s just a peek. Here’s just a peek.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01j2hz49fcfpc023yvtz.jpg)
![Paul Anthony Jones Paul Anthony Jones](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_180,ar_1:1,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01fw71t9ndv2w8m1jqtj.png)
Paul Anthony Jones
Joined: Jun 20, 2014
Paul Anthony Jones is a writer and musician from Newcastle upon Tyne. He is the author of word origins guide Haggard Hawks and Paltry Poltroons, and runs its tie-in Twitter account @HaggardHawks.
![Here’s just a peek. Here’s just a peek.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01j2hz49fcfpc023yvtz.jpg)
![Spot any surprises? Spot any surprises?](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2400,h_1350,x_0,y_285/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01j01mqbgr9xaaesjkmn.jpg)
The Language That Each City Wants to Learn the Most, Mapped
![Illustration Vikings arriving at Normandy in the 9th century, circa 1911. Illustration Vikings arriving at Normandy in the 9th century, circa 1911.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3838,h_2158,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01hzpyvt5j14e2dy9kb6.jpg)
21 Incredible Viking Insults
![Queen Elizabeth II sometimes went by Sharon. Queen Elizabeth II sometimes went by Sharon.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3838,h_2158,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01hykph5vcghspctjz58.jpg)
11 Royal Code Names
20 Brilliant Anglo-Saxon Words We Should Bring Back
Old English had a rich array of inventive and intriguing words, many of which have either long since dropped out of use or were replaced.
The Most Common Last Name in Every Country, Mapped
The names were put into one of six different categories: ancestral, occupational, geographical, toponymic (or place name), personal characteristics, and patronage.
Why Do We Call Kids “Rug Rats”?
It’s hardly the most complimentary turn of phrase, but rug rat has been a slang term for children for more than half a century.
How 20 Animals Got Their Names
‘Hippopotamus’ is Latin for “river-horse,” which makes sense for these semiaquatic mammals. The origins of some other animal names aren’t quite as literal.
80 Weird Words and Phrases
If you’ve ever needed a word for a piece of bread eaten just after a bath, or a term for an unpleasant choice between three options, you’re in luck.
What Exactly Are Your P’s and Q’s?
Does it have to do with pea coats? Or maybe Latin scribes?
18 Words to Welcome Spring
The days are getting longer and warmer, and that means it’s the perfect time to pull these fun spring words out of hibernation.
28 Weird and Wonderful Irish Words
To English speakers, Irish is a tough language to master. But that doesn't mean you shouldn’t give it a try.
10 Bizarre Royal Conspiracy Theories
From secret love children to political assassinations to accusations of vampirism, the British royal family has been the subject of many bizarre conspiracy theories over the course of its history.
10 Incredible Things That Were Invented By Accident
Not every great invention was created according to plan. From penicillin to breakfast cereal to popsicles, these everyday items were all invented entirely by accident.
15 Alternative Lyrics From Old Versions of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”
Liven up your singing of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" by subbing in these old—and occasionally strange—lyrics.
19 Old Cold Weather Words to Get You Through Winter
There are only so many ways to say “it’s cold outside,” which is why it’s time to supplement your vocabulary with these vintage words and phrases related to winter.