Words and Language Trivia Questions With Answers About fun interesting words.
Language trivia questions and answers about words like Foxtrot, Tango, Siberia, word meanings, Latin, spirits, Indian words and more!
What letter of the alphabet is the oldest.
A: The O.
On sailboats, what are barnacles and binnacles?
A: A barnacle is a marine animal that attaches itself to a boat's
bottom; a binnacle is a covered, nonmagnetic case that contains a
ship's compass and a light.
How could the word mile be derived from the Latin phrase mille
passuum, which means 1,000 paces when it takes at least twice that
many steps to walk a mile?
A: The 1,000 paces referred to were those of the Roman Legion, whose
formal parade step consisted of two steps that covered a distance of
5.2 feet. That would make a mile 5,200 feet--very close to
today's statute mile of 5,280 feet.
What is the only word in the English language that both begins
and ends with the letters u-n-d?
A: Underground.
What two dances are among the words used in the radio
communications alphabet that begins Alpha, Bravo Charlie?
A: Foxtrot and Tango.
What is the meaning of the word Siberia?
A: It's from sibir, which means "sleeping giant" in the language of
the Taatars who once dwelled in the area.
What physical phenomenon are you experiencing if you have
horripilation?
A: Gooseflesh--the bristling of hair on your head or body caused by
fear, cold, or disease.
What is the meaning of the legal term pro se?
A: "By oneself"--without a lawyer.
What is the meaning of the Huron-Iroquois Indian word kanata--from
which Canada derives its name?
A: The name of the world's second largest country comes from a word
that means "small village." Explorer Jacques Cartier first
used it for the area around what is now Quebec city.
How much does a bushel of apples weigh?
A: About 42 pounds.
What punctuation mark is derived from the Latin word for joy?
A: The exclamation point (!). Joy in Latin is io, which was
abbreviated by putting the i above the o.
What is the meaning of the word aprosexia?
A: "Abnormal inability to concentrate."
What astronomical term comes from the Greek word for milk?
A: Galaxy. In Greek, gala means "milk." The Greeks thought the
Milky Way looked like milk spilled across the sky.
What is the origin of the expression "knock on wood"?
A: It dates back to ancient European cultures whose members believed
guardian spirits lived in trees and could be summoned to help
with a little knocking.
What does the German word "bad" mean?
A: Bath.
In the international civil aviation alphabet used by airport
control towers, the letters A, B, and C are represented by Alfa,
Bravo, and Charlie. What about X, Y, Z?
A: They're X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.
What is the literal translation of the pasta "vermicelli"?
A: "Little worms"--describing its shape.
What are yurts?
A: The domed, circular portable tents used by the nomads of Mongolia
and Siberia.
What is the origin of the word "flak"?
A: It's an acronym for the German Fliegerabwebrkanonen, an
anti-aircraft gun.
