30 English Words that Originated from Great Stories or Myths

The English language is the most popular and one of the most widely spoken in the world. It is the lingual franker of Nigeria. Some of the words used in the English language were not originally English. Some were carved from other languages, events or even stories.

Here are 30 English words that originated from great stories and myths.

1. Achilles heel.

Achilles heel is a weakness or vulnerable point. The word is named after a Greek hero called Achilles. When Achilles was born, his mother dipped him into a river called Styx. The river eventually made him invulnerable. He could not be injured. Achilles’ mother held him by his heel which therefore was not touched by the river. Achilles later died from an injury incurred by an arrow on his heel during a war. 

2. Babel.

Babel is a confused noise made by a number of voices. The word originated from the Bible story in which God punished the people who were trying to build a tower to touch heaven (tower of Babel). God punished the people by making them unable to understand each other’s languages.

3. Blarney.

This means a talk that aims to charm, pleasantly flatter, or persuade. The word is formed from Blarney, a castle in Ireland. In this castle, there was a stone that is said to have magical powers. Anyone who kisses the Blarney Stone is given the gift of speaking persuasively. The gift is called ‘the gift of the gab’.

4. Cinderella.

It means to rise unexpectedly from an obscure state to success. The word is derived from the European fairytale about a very beautiful girl, Cinderella. She was treated harshly by her two step sisters and mother. She had to work and received no reward or thanks. She eventually met and married prince Charming.

5. Clue.

A clue is a piece of evidence or information used in the detection of a crime or solving a mystery. Clue is a word derived from ‘clew’ in Greek mythology. Mintatour, a monster with the body of a man and bullhead was trapped by the mythical king, Theseus. Theseus was able to escape using a ball of yarn or a ‘clew’. He was able to track his path by following the yarn so he could follow it back again if he got lost.

6. Echo

An “echo” is a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener. The word is derived from the name of a Greek nymph, Echo. The king of the gods, Zeus, became enamoured with Echo. In a fit of jealousy, Zeus’ wife, Hera, cursed Echo to speak only the last words that were spoken to her.

7. Europe.

It is a word relating to or characteristic of Europe or its inhabitants. It is a word derived from Greek mythology. Europe was a princess with big, beautiful eyes. When Zeus laid his own eyes on her, he fell in love with her. It was love at first sight. He transformed himself into a white bull and took her off to the faraway lands we now call Europe.  

8. Herculean.

It means anything or task requiring great strength or effort. This word originated from Greek mythology in which Herculean proved his courage and strength. He completed twelve very difficult tasks. You can read more about ‘the 12 labour of Herculean’.

9. Hermaphrodite.

This is a person or animal having both male and female sex organs or other sexual characteristics. Hermaphroditos was a son of Hermes and Aphrodite. That is the gods of male and female sexuality. As a handsome youth, he attracted the love of a nymph, Salmacis. She prayed to be united with Hermaphroditos forever and the gods merged their two forms into one.  

10. Jekyll and Hyde.

This word is used in reference to a person or thing that alternately displays two different sides to their character or nature. It is derived from the story by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In the story, Dr Jekyll took a drug which separated the good and bad sides of his personality into two characters. And all the negative characteristics go into Mr Hyde.

11. Lethargy

Lethargy means a lack of energy and enthusiasm. The word is derived from the Greek mythology of Lethe, a river that flowed through the underworld. When people died, they would drink water from this river. And as such, it would lead them to forget their past lives.

12. Manna.

Manna means any boom which comes into one’s hand by good luck or unmerited favour. The word is originated from the Bible story in which food substances were miraculously supplied as food to the Israelites in the wilderness (Exod. 16)

13. Marathon

This is a long-distance running race, strictly one of 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 km).In ancient Greek, a marathon is an actual distance between two Greek cities. Pheidippides ran all the way to Athens from a battlefield to announce that the Persians had been defeated, which was later named the Battle of Marathon. After his victorious announcement, he collapsed and died. 

14. Midas Touch.

This is the ability to make money out of anything one undertakes. This word is derived from Greek mythology in which King Midas was given the power to turn everything he touches into gold.

15. Narcissism.

This means an excess of love for oneself. It is a word derived from the Ancient Greek mythological figure of Narcissus. Narcissus saw his reflection of himself in a lake and fell in love with himself. One nymph who fell passionately in love with him withered away into nothingness. She was ignored all the days of her life, leaving no trace behind but her voice. Her name was Echo. 

16. Nemesis

This is the inescapable agent of someone’s or something’s downfall. The word is derived from Greek. It is the Greek goddess in charge of revenge against humans who were arrogant.

17. Nightmare.

A nightmare is a frightening or unpleasant dream. The word is formed by joining night and mare together. The mare is derived from the Germanic and Slavic folklore that rides on people’s chests while they sleep. She is actually referred to as a female goblin that sits on humans, suffocates them while they sleep, entangles her hair around them in a “marelock”, and tries to induce bad thoughts.

18. Oedipus Complex.

It is the complex of emotions aroused in a child by an unconscious sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex. This word is derived from the Greek story of Oedipus. Oedipus’s father, Lauis had been told by the oracle that his son would kill him. Lauis left Oedipus on the mountain to die but was rescued by a shepherd. Many years passed and Oedipus returned home. Since he could not recognize his parents, he killed his father Lauis and married his mother Jocasta.

19. Open Sesame.

It is a free or unrestricted means of admission or access. It is from the fairytale, Ali Baba and the forty thieves. In this story, the magic word “open Sesame” had to be said to open the cave where the thieves kept their treasures.

20. Pandora’s box.

This is a process that generates many complicated problems as the result of unwise interference in something. The word is derived from Greek mythology in which Pandora was created by the god Zeus and sent to earth with a box containing many evils. When she opened the box, the evils came out and infected the earth.

21. Pound.

A pound is a unit of weight in general use equal to 16 oz. avoirdupois (0.4536 kg). It is a word coined by the Merchant of Venice tale. This is a Shakespeare’s play in which a money lender Shylock demanded a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body if he could not pay back the money he borrowed.

22. Promethean.

Promethean is a word relating to or characteristic of being creative or innovative. It is a Greek myth of Prometheus. Prometheus is a Titan who stole fire from his fellow gods and gave it to humanity. He was later punished by Zeus. He was chained to a rock and then subjected to extreme pain. He experienced the agonising ordeal of having his liver pecked out by an eagle. 

23. Robot.

A robot is a machine resembling a human being and able to replicate certain human movements and functions automatically. The word ‘robot’ is derived from the Czech word ‘robota’. This initially meant ‘forced labour’. The word was introduced by the author Karel Čapek in his science fiction play, Rossom’s Universal Robots  (R.U.R). The play explores the idea of manufacturing synthetic people. 

24. Slang.

a type of language that consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal is more common in speech than in writing. It is a word derived from Norwegian that meant “to sling the jaw” but which carried the implication “to abuse with words.”  The use of “slang” was popularised around the same time as the word “slangwhanger,” an American English term meaning “one who uses abusive slang”. In English during the 18th century, the word referred specifically to tramps and thieves.

25. Stygian.

Stygian means dark and gloomy, or infernal and hellish. This word is derived from Greek mythology. The Styx is a river in the underworld that the souls of the dead had to cross. 

26. Sword.

A sword is a weapon with a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard, used for thrusting or striking and now typically worn as part of ceremonial dress. This word is derived from a legend in which Damocles had to sit at a meal at the court of Dionysius with a sword hanging by a single strand of hair above his head. He had praised Dionysius’ happiness, but Dionysius wanted him to know how quickly happiness can be lost.

27. Tilt

The word tilt (tilt at windmills) is to attack imaginary enemies. It is derived from Cervantes’ Don Quixote’, in which the hero thought that the windmills he saw were Giants and tried to fight them.

28. Titan.

It is a person or thing of very great strength, intellect, or importance. Titan is a word derived from Greek mythology, Titan. The older gods were defeated by Zeus in a battle.

29. White Elephant.

This is a possession that is useless or troublesome, especially one that is expensive to maintain or difficult to dispose of. It is a word derived from the story in Sian (now Thailand). The king would give a white elephant as a present to somebody that he did not like. That person would have to spend all their money on looking after the rare animal.

30. Writing.

This is the activity or skill of marking coherent words on paper and composing text. This word is derived from the story in the Bible in which strange writing appeared on the wall during a feast given by king Belshazzar, foretelling his death and the end of his kingdom.