15 Words You Never Knew Came from Literature

15 Words never knew you came from literature ords can bring people around to our way of thinking, to laughter or even to tears. Our words are our tools, and the history of words This infographic from Lovereading.co.uk documents common words that are uncommonly known to derive from literature. Be sure to share with is a fascinating study. all word lovers. Tween The Hobbit J.R.R Tolkien, 1937 Tolkien described a "Tween" as a Hobbit between the ages of 20 and 33. Nerd If I Ran the Zoo Dr. Seuss, 1950 A foolish or contemptible person who is boringly studious. Cyberspace 10111 010101 Neuromancer William Gibson, 1984 Used to describe the space in which communication between computers occur. Yahoo Gulliver's Travels Jonathan Swift, 1726 From the name of an imaginary race of brutish creatures. Catch-22 Catch-22 Joseph Heller, 1961 Used to explain a dilemma from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting conditions. Cojones Death in the Afternoon Ernest Hemingway, 1932 Testicles in the allegorical sense or, representing courage. Debunk Bunk William.E.Woodward, 1923 Used to expose "false claims". MONSTER Eyesore The Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare, c.1590 Something offensive on the eye. Factoid Marilyn Norman Mailer, 1973 Used to describe a piece of information accepted as a fact although not true. Honey trap Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy John le Carré, 1974 Used to label a ploy in which an attractive person lures another into revealing information. Scaredy-cat The Waltz Dorothy Parker, 1933 A coward. Freelance Ivanhoe Sir Walter Scott, 1820 A mercenary knight with no allegiance, who instead offered his services in exchange for money. Pie-hole Christine Stephen King, 1983 A slang name for the mouth, thought to have been used for the first time by King. Robot Rossum's Universal Robots Karel Čapek Rossum, 1920 Based on the Czech word "robotnik", meaning "slave" or "worker". Unfriend Brut Layamon, ca. I190-1215 Used to describe "one who is not a friend" far before Facebook nicked it. Lvereading.co.uk