Words change meaning over time, often in ways that seem surprising or ridiculous. Check the etymology of certain words and you’ll find a complex journey of how they came to be.
This is a result of constant social, cultural, and historical shifts. Because of this, many words now either mean the opposite of their original meaning or something completely different.
Words That Used to Mean Something Different
Here are some words that have changed meaning over time.
1. Awful
Awful once meant the same thing as “awesome”—something that inspires awe. “Awe” being a combination of fear and wonder. It’s why you get phrases like “awful majesty of God” in a few old books.
Later on, “awful” took on its fully negative connotation of something being extremely bad. “Awesome” went the opposite way, becoming something extremely good.
2. Nice
In its current usage, “nice” is a compliment. But back then, it was an insult that meant stupid or ignorant, originating from the Latin nescius.
It later evolved to mean “very particular” in the 16th century and only came to have a positive connotation during the 19th century. You can still find evidence of this 16th century meaning in phrases like “too nice a palate.”
3. Cute
“Cute” was originally a shortening of “acute”, which means sharp or quick-witted. Perhaps even too much for your own good, like a smart aleck. You still see this meaning when someone says “Don’t get cute with me.” Now it means attractive or pretty in a childish or delicate way.
4. Bully
“Bully” currently means a cruel person who insults or threatens others who are more vulnerable than them. However, it used to mean sweetheart or darling. It’s unclear how it came to be a negative word.
5. Girl
Nowadays, “girl” means a female child or a young woman. But it was once a gender-neutral term for a young person.
6. Bimbo
Another curious case of re-gendering a word is “bimbo”. In the early 1900s, it meant a big, unintelligent, and brutish man. Now it means a conventionally attractive, but dumb woman.
7. Guy
“Guy” is now commonly used to refer to a man, or more recently, any person regardless of gender. However, in the 1800s, it originally referred to someone with a frightening or grotesque appearance.
8. Meat
In old English, people used the term “meat” for food of any kind, not just the flesh of animals.
9. Liquor
Just like meat, “liquor” simply referred to liquid of any sort. It comes from the Latin liquere, meaning “to be fluid.”
It’s meaning developed to “a liquid to drink” in the 14th century. Later, it finally came to mean “an alcoholic beverage” in the 16th century.
10. Naughty
Currently, “naughty” means prone to disobedience or misbehavior. But in the 1300s, a naughty person is someone who has “naught” or nothing.
11. Flirt
To “flirt” with someone means to express attraction to them, but more for casual rather than serious reasons. Its original meaning, however, is a sudden, sharp movement similar to a flick.
12. Prestigious
The word “prestigious” did not come to mean renown until the 20th century. Before that, it meant something that is marked by or related to illusions, conjuration, or trickery. It comes from the Latin word praestigiosis, meaning “full of trickery.”
Interestingly, this same Latin word also gave us “prestige,” which followed a different path in English, eventually coming to mean “high regard”. This, in turn, influenced the modern, positive meaning of “prestigious.”
13. Matrix
In ancient Rome, a “matrix” referred to a female animal or plant used for breeding. Over time, the word has evolved to take on various meanings in fields like mathematics, science, and entertainment.
Today, it’s perhaps best known as the name for the simulated reality in which most humans unknowingly live in the popular science fiction series The Matrix.
14. Silly
The word “silly” had different definitions over the years. It used to mean fortunate, innocent, and happy. Eventually, for some reason, it developed into its modern meaning of “ignorant” or foolish.
15. Villain
“Villain” comes from the Latin villanus, which basically meant a villager. In medieval Europe, the aristocracy used it to describe someone with crude manners.
As manners became increasingly linked with morals, the term’s meaning worsened, eventually evolving into today’s definition of a scoundrel or criminal.
16. Literally
“Literally” once only referred to things happening in a true, literal sense. Quite recently, however, people have begun to use it for emphasis.
This second use has been so widespread that many dictionaries have officially added it to the word’s definition. So, to the English purists: yes, it’s an acceptable way to use the word.
17. Buxom
“Buxom” currently means a woman who is plump, especially in the chest area. In the past, it meant compliant or obedient, such as in John Milton’s Paradise Lost, where Death flew silently through the “buxom air.”
18. Clue
Originally, “clue” was a variant of the word “clew”, which referred to a ball of yarn or thread. Its modern meaning, as a piece of information that helps solve a problem, question, or mystery, comes from the traditional story trope where a ball of yarn is used to guide a character out of a maze.
19. Hussy
Today, a “hussy” is an unmarried, disreputable woman. Its origins come from the word “housewife” and simply meant the mistress of the household.
Many other terms for women originally had neutral definitions before having negative connotations. For example, “wench” simply meant a female child before becoming a woman of low status or moral character. Similarly, “spinster” referred to a woman whose job was to spin wool, but it eventually evolved to denote a woman past the typical age of marriage.
20. Bachelor
Originally, a “bachelor” was a knight too young or too poor to gather their own vassals and so followed the banner of another. Later on, it came to mean people who have achieved the lowest grade of scholarship. This meaning survives in today’s Bachelor of Arts or Sciences degrees.
It was in the Victorian era where the term came to mean a young, upper class man who is single and eligible for marriage. By the late 19th century, it acquired the more general meaning of an unmarried man.
What words do you know that used to mean something else? Share them below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
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- Wordnesia: When Correctly Spelled Words Look Wrong
- 34 American Slang Words You Should Know
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
