Halloween is nearly upon us, and witches seem to be everywhere, from costumes for trick-or-treating and Halloween parties to yard displays. But why? Granted, popular society associates Halloween with all sorts of horrific, scary things: ghouls, ghosts, skeletons, death… Witches are lumped in with them. But really, what is a witch?
Witchy History
The English word witch—from the Old English wiċċe, rooted in European folklore and superstition—means a practitioner of witchcraft, magic or sorcery. Associated with malevolent magic, those accused of witchcraft were the target of witch-hunts. Consider the Salem witch trials.
In the modern era, the term has taken on different meanings. (In current colloquial English, witchtypically refers to women, with the male equivalent being warlock or wizard.) Contemporary dictionaries currently distinguish five meanings of the noun witch:
A person (especially a woman) credited with malignant supernatural powers
A practitioner of neo-pagan tradition or religion (such as Wicca)
In this instance, the word Witch is typically capitalized, much like Catholic or Buddhist would be capitalized.
A mean or ugly old woman
A hag or crone
A charming or alluring girl or woman
This figurative use—as in literature—began in the 18th century.
Wicca is the largest of the modern Pagan, or Neo-Pagan, religions. Its followers, who are called Wiccans, typically identify as witches and draw inspiration largely from the pre-Christian religions of Europe. Influenced by earlier forms of Western esotericism, Wicca publicly emerged in England during the 1950s. At that time most Wiccans were members of initiatory groups called covens, although by the early 21st century most followers were instead operating as individuals. Today, Wiccans are mostly in English-speaking Western countries. Followers often use the pentagram, or five-pointed star, as the main symbol of their religion. In neopagan religions such as Wicca the term Witch has been adopted as a label for adherents of all genders.
“Wicca’s rapid spread through the United States during the 1960s and ’70s was part of the broader countercultural zeitgeist, and many of those Americans joining Wicca were also influenced by the new social movements of the period. Informed by second-wave feminism, Dianic Wicca was formed in 1971 by Hungarian émigré Zsuzsanna Budapest as a women’s tradition placing central focus on the goddess. Drawing on the gay rights movement, the Minoan Brotherhood was established in 1977 by Eddie Buczynski as a Wiccan tradition for gay and bisexual men. Growing environmentalist sentiment also had an impact on Wicca, which by the 1970s was increasingly presenting itself as a “ nature religion.” Radical left-wing politics came to the fore in the work of Starhawk), an American practitioner who helped establish the Reclaiming tradition in San Francisco and wrote an influential book, The Spiral Dance (1979). Although many of Wicca’s early proponents espoused conservative and right-wing views, by the close of the 20th century the Wiccan community had more people with progressive and left-leaning opinions.” (Encyclopedia Britannica)
It is estimated that there could be around 1.5 million witches in the U.S. (This according to Helen Berger, of Brandeis University, 2021 data.)
Witches Today
Wicca and Witchcraft are part of the larger contemporary pagan movement, which includes druids and heathens among others. All these spiritual paths, as pagans refer to them, base their practices on pre-Christian religions and cultures.
Berger points out that not all witches consider themselves Wiccans. Based on her most recent survey data, approximately 800,000 Americans are Wiccans. Increasing numbers have self-identified as Wiccan in surveys. The growth of such groups as those on TikTok, suggest that the religion is continuing to grow.
Wicca differs from more mainstream religions, such as Christianity, in multiple ways.
Putting more emphasis on ritual and direct spiritual experience than belief
Refering to themselves as practitioners, not believers
Marking a yearly cycle of rituals, known as sabbats, to celebrate the beginning and height of each of the four seasons of the Northern Hemisphere
Holding rituals encouraging participants to celebrate the changes the seasons bring to nature and to reflect on how those changes are mirrored in their own lives
Having no single religious text that they draw beliefs from
According to Berger, most Wiccans practice magic, to heal themselves and others or to find a new home or job, among other things, and emphasize that magic must not cause harm. “Magic is viewed as changing the practitioners as much as their circumstances, encouraging adherents to pursue self-growth and self-empowerment.”
Bottom Line: For hundreds of thousands of practitioners, Witch has been an identity that has nothing to do with Halloween.
“Beautiful Bones” was previously published (without illustrations) in Connecticut Review, Vol XXXIII, No.2. Fall 2011, 115-119.
Muriel slams the car door, ducks her head, and scrinches her eyes nearly shut behind wraparound sunglasses. Offshore winds whip the ocean to froth. Wind-driven sand stings every inch of exposed skin. It’s the tail end of the hurricane season, but this one seems to be staying offshore. Charlie would never come to their Outer Banks house this late in the fall, but Muriel revels in it. Few owners or renters are in residence. No one was on the wind-scoured beach that morning, and few cars creep along Route 12. The Sandpiper Day Spa is a welcome oasis.
In the changing room, Muriel shakes sand from her blond curls. Charlie never allowed anything as frivolous—or as expensive—as a massage unless the indulgence was his idea, but she has one every month now. Catching sight of her reflection in the full-length mirror, she mutters, “One of these days, I need to buckle down and lose twenty-five pounds.” Charlie always said she had beautiful cheekbones, had complimented her dainty hands and feet. But Charlie’s dead, and the rest of her bones could do with a little less padding. She shrugs one shoulder and belts the thick terry robe around her naked body.
An attendant shows her into the dim, hushed waiting room where a tabletop fountain burbles, and lemon slices float in a pitcher of ice water dappled with condensation. The Sandpiper is on the sound side, and the wide windows frame a surprisingly tranquil view of waving grasses edging the sheltered patio.
“Have a seat. Woodrow will be with you soon.”
“Woodrow? My appointment is with Amy.”
The attendant purses her lips. “Oh, dear. Did no one call you? Amy’s road is flooded, so she couldn’t get in. Woodrow is taking her clients today. Is that a problem?”
Muriel has never had a male massage therapist. She gnaws her lower lip and shifts her weight from one foot to the other. “No. No, of course not.” Alone with the view, Muriel tells herself it’s no big deal—that he’s a professional, like a doctor or a nurse.
***
Muriel lies face down on the massage table, the sheet draped across her legs and buttocks. Woodrow’s massive hands work the muscles of her upper back, slick with scented oil. His hands are strong but not rough. She visualizes his hands, dark against her skin. If Charlie had ever allowed a massage, it certainly wouldn’t have been with Woodrow. Woodrow is mixed-race, and she can’t identify the mix. Not being able to categorize him makes her anxious.
Standing at her head, Woodrow slides both hands down her back, his thumbs rippling along the bumps of her spine. He repeats the stroke using the heels of his hands, and again using his forearms. Muriel feels that, somehow, Woodrow is touching her very soul. When he leans on his forearms, his loose shirt brushes her hair. Muriel realizes how much of his body hovers over hers and forgets to breathe. Using his palms and fingers as before, each stroke is longer than the last until his hands are completely under the edge of the sheet, kneading her buttocks—never quite making a move that is clearly inappropriate.
“Relax,” he says. “You’re tensing up.”
Muriel tries to relax as he moves to the foot of the table. He draws her right leg toward him and lifts the sheet off that side, tucking it between her legs. Amy never exposed so much at once—a wide strip of bare flesh from shoulder to toe. Half draped. A vision of cemetery art comes unbidden, the half-draped urn that symbolizes sorrow and mourning slipping away—not that she ever mourned Charlie. The friends who thought they had such a perfect marriage would be shocked. But that was all surface. Who could mourn the freedom that came with the passing of total control? If she felt sorrowful at all, it would be for the children they never had. Tears sting her eyes, but she reminds herself that at least children never suffered. She still blesses the day the fertility specialist told them that it was Charlie’s failure, not hers—though no one used that label, of course.
A breath of cool air wafts along the strip of exposed flesh. Can so much nakedness be quite proper? She wants to protest, to ask for more coverage, but can’t find acceptable words. She doesn’t want him to think it’s because he isn’t white. Blood suffuses her face and she wonders whether her back is blushing, and if it is, whether he can see it in the dim light. Woodrow kneads her calf and pushes her foot toward her buttock until the stretch in her quadricep begins to burn. She’s about to say “Enough” when he releases the pressure. He stretches her other quad, then grasps both ankles and shakes her legs. Her thighs jiggle like Jell-O, and she silently wills him to stop. He pulls the sheet across her lower legs and slides—what? his forearm again?—up her back, and draws something—a hot stone?—down her spine. The oil is warm. After several minutes he says, “Tell me if this is too hot,” and wipes her back with a steamy towel. As he rubs her arms and neck, Muriel thinks of a parent scrubbing a toddler in the bath. Just when she thinks this segment is done, something gritty circles gently over her flesh. She says, “I didn’t schedule exfoliation.”
Woodrow says, “I always include a light buff. Underneath all that dead skin, there’s a whole new you.” Muriel thinks she hears a smile in his voice.
The sanding thing clicks onto the side table and suddenly something soft caresses her torso. It feels like satin, fur, and feathers. Is he dusting her with powder? Not wanting to focus on the sensuality, she says, “How long have you been a massage therapist?”
“I finished training five years ago.” He pulls her hand up behind her shoulder blade and kneads the muscle under her scapula. Not moves she’s had before.
“How did you come to be a massage therapist?”
“I was career military. Twenty years as a Green Beret. After that, I wanted to do something good with my hands for a change.” He lifts the sheet high enough to hide his face and invites Muriel to turn face up. “Just tell me when you’re settled.” She rolls over, hands covering her breasts, wondering whether he peeked.
Woodrow drapes the sheet across her body and Muriel adjusts it over her breasts. She looks at Woodrow through slitted lids. He’s wearing baby blue scrubs that don’t disguise his heavily muscled body. She closes her eyes against the intimacy and tries to figure how old he must be. If he went in at eighteen, and got out at thirty-eight, spent a year in school and that was five years ago… About her age. Why does it matter? “It must have been a real culture shock—going from the military to massage.”
He manipulates her foot, pressing his thumbs into her instep, and she feels it up her spine. “It wasn’t that sudden. I stayed in San Diego for a while. Knocked around a little, trying to decide what to do. I’ve always been good with my hands—always gave my mom foot rubs, gave my girlfriends back rubs. It was my girlfriend at the time who put me onto massage.” He moves to the side of the table.
All this movement is disconcerting. Amy always started at her head and ended with her feet—none of this back-and-forth stuff. Woodrow rests Muriel’s forearm on his shoulder and massages her upper arm, her shoulder, and her pecs in long, smooth strokes. Her fingertips brush his short beard—surprisingly soft. Touching his beard feels too personal. Who is he? Part black, part Asian. Chinese? Vietnamese? She doesn’t know. His smooth bass has a lilting undertone. Maybe he has ties to the Caribbean? Heat washes over her. It shouldn’t matter. “So did your girlfriend come back east with you?”
“No. She died.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“It was a long time ago—and very peaceful.” Woodrow stands behind her head, his fingers buried in her hair, slowly massaging her scalp. He tugs her earlobes. He works his thumbs into her shoulders, fingers curled loosely around her throat.
Muriel says, “I once had a boyfriend in the Marines. He said he could kill someone silently by crushing their larynx.”
Woodrow chuckles. “Oh, yeah. Crushing the ice-cream cone. Or you could apply just a little pressure here.” His fingers brush the side of her neck, and linger. “Apply pressure to the carotid for thirteen seconds and you can make somebody unconscious—and do whatever you want.” He presses his fingertips into her neck and she feels her pulse throb. He must feel it, too. Does he notice that her heart is racing? He gives no sign. “A little longer, and you’re dead.” He shifts his fingers to the base of her skull and lifts. Muriel wonders how easy it would be to snap someone’s neck. Woodrow must know. She’s never felt so vulnerable. Would anyone hear her if she screamed? Woodrow says, “In some situations a silent killing is—preferable.” Muriel imagines a trapdoor under the massage bed, imagines Woodrow killing her silently and her body dropping unnoticed into the sound.
When the session is over, Woodrow says, “Take your time getting dressed. Drink lots of nonalcoholic beverages for the rest of the day. And you really need to relax. I’m leaving an herbal tea bag here by your clothes. Try it before you go to bed tonight. You’ll sleep like the dead.”
In the shower, water coursing down her body, Muriel feels exposed, as though Woodrow somehow touched her inner self. That thought is so upsetting that her hands shake and she drops the soap three times. Is it her imagination, or is her flesh loose on her bones?
She feels so defensive that she over-tips outrageously and compliments Woodrow effusively to the receptionist on her way out.
***
Alone with the evening, wind still raging, Muriel obsesses about her massage—tries to dissect her discomfort and chides herself for it. Remembering Woodrow’s hands on her body, she feels a flutter deep in her belly. Is that what a baby’s first kick would have felt like?
She turns on the TV news. Sandwiched between reports on the progress of the offshore hurricane is a story about women found dead in their homes of mysterious causes, details at eleven o’clock. “I don’t think so,” she mutters, and flips to a classic movie channel.
Muriel retrieves the tea bag Woodrow gave her. It’s square, not like most commercial ones, and it has no string attached. She smells it. Herby and sweet and musty. What has he given her? She thinks of drugs that could be delivered in a paper packet—LSD, rohypnol, ketamine, scopolamine, and any number of poisons—drugs that routinely show up in TV crime dramas. She shivers, and tells herself not to be a ninny. Why would he drug her? She tamps down her paranoia and brews a cup of tea. She sniffs the pale gold brew. It smells of hibiscus and honey. She stares into the depths of the cup, mesmerized, as the heat evaporates. Eventually she shakes off her lethargy, gulps down the tepid liquid, and falls into bed, thinking how blessedly bigger it feels now that Charlie is gone. She curls into the fetal position, cradling no bruised limbs. Drifting toward sleep, her body is hypersensitive. She hears her heartbeat, feels the sheet resting lightly on her flesh, notices a slight tingling in her left arm and hand. Definitely alive. Nothing to be anxious about. Remembering the feel of Woodrow’s hands on her body, she sinks into oblivion.
***
In the gray predawn, she wakes from a nightmare in which some of her teeth crumbled away, and some fell out whole. The dream felt so real that she probes her teeth with her tongue, explores her mouth with her fingers. Her teeth are definitely there, but they feel strange. She stumbles into the bathroom and leans toward the mirror. Yes, all of her teeth are still there—though they look bigger than she remembers. In the dim glow of the nightlight, lips stretched to reveal her teeth, she notices the map of blue veins on her chest. As she watches, the blue highways become more distinct. Her skin thins and thins until it is no longer there. When she looks again at her face, she sees her skull.
An image appears behind hers, bones luminous in the dim light. The skeleton is Woodrow. She is not surprised by his presence—or his appearance—only by her recognition of him. One bony finger glides down the side of her neck and across her shoulder, its touch smooth and cool as ivory. She feels his longing, his wish to be joined. As his hands pass over Muriel, her skin and muscles dissolve, melting into the dark. He says, “Do you want to be clothed again in flesh? I could do that.”
Muriel stares at their beautiful bones. She says, “It isn’t about the surface.”
Clearly, Bracken’s humorous guide to spending less time on food prep struck a cord with home cooks.
My thesis is that the entire evolution of how we cook has trended in that direction: less time for food prep.
STOVES
My granny had a cast iron cook stove until the mid-1950s. She started by lighting wood in the fire box at one end of the stove body. Moving pots from burners closer to the firebox to those farther away adjusted the heat. She controlled oven temperature by determining how long she could hold her hand in the oven.
This was certainly old-fashioned, but she was poor, living on a hard-scrabble farm in the hills of eastern Kentucky. Saugus Ironworks manufactured the first cast-iron stove in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1642. By the 18th century, manufacturers were making cast iron stoves in quantity in the United States. Their use became widespread in the early 19th century.
The first gas stoves were developed in the 1820s, in a factory established in England in 1836. These stoves offered adjustable and convenient cooking compared to solid fuels. A cook could turn the gas flame to the desired heat level immediately. Turning off the flame also immediately extinguishes the heat. However, the exposed gas flame posed more of a fire hazard than other stoves. They may also leak carbon monoxide, benzene, and formaldehyde, even when turned off.
Introduced in the early 20th century, electric stoves provided a safer and more efficient alternative to gas. Later in her life, my granny had an electric stove. She enjoyed the precision of temperature, especially for baking.
Induction cooktops use electromagnetic fields to heat pots and pans directly. Among stove bells and whistles: timers, preheat signal, convection baking, and broiling. Today, a home cook can use a Frigidaire 30″ Electric Range with Air Fry, with a convection oven and five cooking elements. My granny wouldn’t have to use her hand to determine the temperature!
Perhaps the biggest time-saver is not having to build a cooking fire.
REFRIGERATORS
The first appliance that sort of looked like a refrigerator was an icebox. Before iceboxes, people used ice houses and evaporative cooling methods like zeer pots to preserve food. (A zeer pot is a low-cost, evaporative cooling device made of two nested unglazed clay pots with wet sand between them, used to preserve food in hot, dry climates without electricity.)
The only icebox I ever saw personally was wooden, with metal fittings. The top compartment held the ice on a metal tray. The cool air descended to cool the food in the box below. An ice man delivered huge blocks of ice on a set schedule, and “ice cubes” were had by chipping off the block with an ice pick.
Electric refrigerators became common in households starting in the late 1920s and early 1930s. While Fred W. Wolf Jr. invented the first electric refrigerator for home use in 1913, widespread adoption began after General Electric introduced the “Monitor-Top” refrigerator in 1927, which was more affordable and practical for average homes. By the mid-1930s, electric refrigerators had largely replaced iceboxes in many American and European households, becoming a standard appliance in middle-class homes by the 1940s. These refrigerators were smaller than today. The cooling unit was at the top, and it had enough freezing space for a couple of ice cube trays.
Today one can choose refrigerators with freezers top, bottom, or side-by-side. Owners can adjust freezer and refrigerator temperatures separately. They can dispense filtered water and ice in various forms.
The biggest time-saving factor from refrigerators comes from the handy location in the kitchen, serving iced drinks, and the availability of frozen foods.
Before refrigerators, preservation techniques included salt curing, smoking, and drying.
SMALL APPLIANCES
Early toasters had pull-down doors on each side of the heating unit. Two pieces of bread—one per side—were toasted on the side facing the heating element. When the user opened the doors, the bread would flip, exposing the untoasted side. Closing the doors again started the process to toast the second side. These required monitoring, for there was no timer or automatic turn off.
Then there were pop-up toasters, toasting both sides at once, with heat controls for darkness, sometimes with four slots.
Today, a home cook can use toaster ovens, which I assume need no description, or the toast function in air fryers. They toast faster, take many slices, and turn off automatically.
Mixing stuff up started with a fork or spoon, evolved to a whisk which, with patience, can actually whip cream or egg whites into soft peaks. Hand-held egg beaters (1850s) made that process much faster, and hand-held electric mixers were/are even faster. Counter-top mixers (such as KitchenAid) operate without the cook holding the mixing element, and can even knead bread.
Blenders were introduced in 1922 and food processors in 1946, though their use in home kitchens took time to catch on. Although meat grinders (1840s) streamlined the mincing process, food processors in particular relieved the home cook of clamping a meat grinder to the counter or tabletop and hand grinding.
Making coffee has gone from boiling grounds in a pot of water and waiting for the grounds to settle to using a percolator, with a basket holding grounds at the top where boiling water pours through them. Today coffee makers typically use filters for the grounds and collect the coffee in a carafe. Fancy options can keep it hot, turn off automatically, or even turn on or off at a pre-selected time.
Although some people prefer to grind their own coffee beans, pre-ground beans are readily available.
And now one can make a single cup of coffee in a device such as Keurig using individually chosen pods, which can be flavored. And let’s not forget instant coffee, just add water, though coffee lovers usually prefer not to.
It is possible to make tea the same way, but do keep a carafe dedicated to tea to avoid contamination by lingering coffee flavors. Modern tea aficionados can use a variety of automatic devices, with magnetic tea baskets, calibrated brewing temperatures, or warming surfaces. The quick and easy alternative: teabag and microwaved water.
The mighty microwave was invented in 1945 by Percy Spencer, an engineer with the Raytheon Company. Microwaves became common in households during the 1970s and 1980s as prices fell and their use spread globally. And as everybody must know, it cooks faster than stovetops or ovens.
COOKWARE
Cast iron cookware was first introduced around 220 CE in China during the Han Dynasty. During the Medieval period (500 – 1500 ) cast iron cookware first appeared in Europe, and became essential for slow-cooking stews and soups. It was popular from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, peaking in the first half of the 20th century before declining in the 1960s and 1970s.
I have cast iron skillets and a griddle from a great-grandmother, both grandmothers, and my mother! I have added a chicken fryer and stew pot to my inherited collection. Cast iron is great for heat retention, durability, ability to maintain high temperatures for long durations, and non-stick potential. But it is heavy!
Copper pots and pans became popular among European chefs for their even heat distribution. Copper cookware became popular as a status symbol among Europe’s wealthy elite in the 18th century and remained prominent through the 19th century.
The invention of Teflon-coated pans (1960s) made cooking and cleaning easier.
Pressure cookers were an early effort to shorten cooking times. The basic concept was invented in 1679! The modern pressure cooker, as we know it today, became widely popular in the mid-20th century with brands like Presto.
And then slow cookers were introduced. They gained popularity in the U.S. during the 1970s, with sales peaking around this time. This countertop electrical cooking appliance simmers food at a lower temperature than other cooking methods. Dishes like pot roasts and stews can cook for many hours without requiring attendance, unlike with a boiling method. Its primary advantage is allowing the cook to complete prep according to their own convenience and preference.
CONVENIENCE FOODS
I contend that the most basic convenience foods are frozen and canned products. Many canned foods are “heat and serve,” or even ready to eat. Grocery stores carry a gazillion (by actual count) prepared foods, from cupcakes and bread to quiche and potato salad, already peeled carrots, cut melon and pineapple, etc., etc., etc.
One can order prepared dishes—or meals—from restaurants and have them delivered to the door. And for those who want a fresh, homemade meal, there are services such as HelloFresh: the ordered meal ingredients come proportioned and ready to cook, with all seasonings, and recipes for the preparation.
And now one can use a service such as Tovala, a meal delivery service paired with a smart oven that cooks chef-crafted, fresh meals in under 20 minutes using QR code scanning or pre-programmed cycles.
WE’VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY
Before 3000 BCE, the earliest food prep method, using open flames to roast meat and vegetables on sticks or in pits, required constant attention.
People roasted large animals on spits turned by hand or animal tread mills, a common method in Medieval feasts.
Around 10,000 BCE, humans began using clay pots for boiling and stewing, marking a shift to more controlled heat and less constant attention.
Archaeological research dates the use of earthen ovens for underground cooking to approximately 10,000 years ago. Earth ovens (e.g., Polynesian umuor Native American pit baking) involved cooking food in underground pits with heated stones. The Egyptians used early ovens (around 2500 BCE) for baking bread, a staple of their diet.
The Romans created early versions of stoves. These stoves were brick or iron structures, knee-high, fired by wood or charcoal through a front hole, with pots placed over or hung into holes at the top.
The earliest fireplaces (as we think of them today) were flat to the floor, used for both heating and cooking. The Romans introduced raised hearths, making cooking more convenient (and heating less dirty).
Cast iron “arms” (chimney cranes) were built into fireplace walls, suspending cooking pots over flames, allowing for better heat control, and swinging out to fill or serve. Many included spits for roasting chunks of meat and small animals such as rabbits or chickens.
AND HERE WE ARE
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal (9/22/26) reported, “When 4:00 p.m. rolls around on any given day, about 80% of Americans still don’t know what they will have for dinner.” Many families turn to ready-to-cook food and meal delivery services, or grazing on things like cheese and crackers, nuts, etc.
This isn’t a new phenomenon. The I Hate to Housekeep Book (Peg Bracken, 1962) has a chapter titled “Dinner Will Be Ready As Soon As I Decide What We’re Having.” (It demonstrates a touching reliance on eggs.)
According to the US Labor Department, women spend an average of 55 minutes per day on food preparation AND cleanup; men, 31 minutes.
Bottom Line: Peg Bracken got it right: apparently, most people hate to cook.
But for human primates, nails can be so much more!
by Dusan Rajic
Damaged or discolored nails can affect confidence and self-image in social or professional settings.
Certain cultures, social classes, or professions (e.g., models, musicians, corporate jobs) may expect well-manicured hands.
The global nail care industry is valued at about $26–27 billion in 2026, with the US market around $5.3 billion (roughly 79% of North America).
People typically spend about $20–$55 for a basic manicure and $25–$65 for a gel or standard full set, with premium services like acrylics, dips, or designs ranging from $25–$120+—overall, many nail services fall within roughly $15–$100+ depending on service, location, and add-ons.
In ancient Egypt, a person’s nail color indicated their social status. Noblemen wore black, and common men wore green. The highest rank, a noble lady, was symbolized by red fingernails. No wonder red manicures are so iconic!
Painting designs and pictures onto our fingernails isn’t something new and trendy. It was a familiar practice with the Incas, many of whom had eagle designs on their fingernails.
Miscellaneous Tidbits Inquiring Minds Want to Know
Just like hair, nails are composed of a protein called keratin, which is also found in animal hooves and horns. And this explains why specialized supplements are so often—usually—labeled as for hair and nail strengthening. Keratin is a protein made of dead cells, which is why cutting your fingernails and hair doesn’t hurt.
While nails themselves don’t breathe like skin, the nail bed (the skin underneath the nail) does receive oxygen and nutrients through blood vessels. Medical providers can use the appearance of these blood vessels to assess dehydration and blood flow.
Nails on a chalkboard make you cringe? There’s a reason for that. The noise hits a frequency that’s naturally amplified by the shape of our ear canals.
Our cuticles aren’t just for decoration. They serve a purpose! The cuticle seals moisture and environmental germs out of the body. This is why it’s important not to pick at your cuticles.
Are you a nail biter? There’s a name for that. Nail biting is known as Onychophagia. And stop it!
Feeling stressed out? It can show in your fingernails. Stress can cause your fingernails to weaken as nutrients are spread elsewhere in the body.
Fingernails need blood to survive. Have you ever wondered why your fingernail falls off after an injury? Our nail plates need blood flow, nutrients and oxygen to grow normally. An injury can disrupt the delicate connections that provide the nutrition and can stop your fingernail from growing.
Fingernails grow about three times faster than toenails. On average, fingernails grow about 3 millimeters per month, while toenails grow about 1 millimeter per month.
Cutting nails doesn’t affect their growth. They grow from the base, so cutting or filing them doesn’t change how fast they grow.
Some studies suggest that nails grow slightly faster in warmer months, possibly due to increased blood circulation.
Contrary to the popular “Moon Myth,” nails and hair do not continue to grow after death. The appearance of growth is due to the skin receding as the body dehydrates.
If you are just an info junky, ready for trivial pursuit type questions, consider stopping here. If you want to get more into the science and health issues, keep reading!
Biotin (Vitamin B7): Supports keratin production. Found in eggs, nuts, seeds, and sweet potatoes. Studies suggest 2.5–5 mg/day can improve nail thickness.
Iron: Essential for nail health. Include spinach, lentils, red meat, and fortified cereals. Low iron can lead to spoon-shaped or brittle nails.
Zinc: Supports nail growth. Found in oysters, pumpkin seeds, and whole grains.
Protein: Nails are made of keratin, a protein. Include lean meats, beans, and dairy.
Vitamin E: Acts as an antioxidant. Found in almonds, avocados, and sunflower seeds.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Help reduce inflammation. Found in fatty fish (salmon, mackerel) and flaxseeds.
Hydrate and Protect
Moisturize regularly. Apply jojoba oil, coconut oil, or shea butter to nails and cuticles daily. Look for products with urea or lactic acid to lock in moisture.
Protect your hands from water, detergents, and chemicals by wearing gloves during chores (dishes, cleaning, gardening).
Long baths, swimming, or soaking can weaken nails. Limit excessive water exposure and moisturize afterward.
Increasing your water intake can improve dry fingernails.
All-Purpose Gentle Nail Care
Trim nails regularly. Keep them short to prevent breakage. File them in one direction (not sawing back and forth) to avoid splits.
Use a nail strengthener. Look for products containing keratin, calcium, or hydrolyzed wheat protein. Avoid those with formaldehyde or toluene, which can dry out nails.
Limit nail polish and acrylics. Give your nails breaks between manicures. Acrylics and gels can cause thinning and peeling.
Avoid nail biting. Use bitter-tasting nail polish or keep nails trimmed short to break the habit.
Choose acetone-free polish removers. Acetone dries out nails. Opt for soy-based or oil-based removers.
Skip cuticle cutting. Cuticles protect the nail bed from infection. Push them back gently with a wooden stick after softening with oil.
Avoid antibacterial or deodorant soaps, which can strip natural oils. Use fragrance-free, moisturizing soaps.
Soak nails in warm olive oil or a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water (1:1 ratio) for 10 minutes, 2–3 times a week.
Mix avocado oil with a few drops of lemon juice, apply to nails, and leave for 15 minutes before rinsing.
Use paraffin wax treatments at home or spas to deeply moisturize nails and cuticles.
If Home Remedies Don’t Work
Supplements: Talk to a doctor about biotin, collagen, or iron supplements if you suspect a deficiency.
Prescription treatments: For fungal infections, a doctor may prescribe antifungal creams or oral medications.
Nail hardeners: Some contain formaldehyde (e.g., nail hardeners like Duri Rejuvacote), but use them sparingly as they can cause brittleness over time.
Dermatologist consultation: If nails are discolored, peeling, or painful, rule out underlying conditions like psoriasis, thyroid issues, or fungal infections.
When to Consult a Healthcare Provider
Nails can be indicative of overall health, including signaling underlying problems. If you notice these conditions, you might want to have a professional check them out:
Nails are discolored, thickened, or crumbly (possible fungal infection)
There’s pain, swelling, or pus around the nail (sign of infection)
Nails are spoon-shaped or have ridges (could indicate anemia or thyroid issues)
Home treatments don’t improve brittleness after 4–6 weeks
I thought I knew feathers. Researching this blog revealed the vastness of my ignorance!
Feathers have a variety of uses across history, cultures, and industries. Here are some of the most common and notable uses:
Writing
Historically, writers used feathers (especially from geese or swans) to make quill pens before the invention of the metal nib pen.
Quill pens were used from around the 6th century until the 19th century, evolving as a primary writing tool during the Middle Ages and remaining dominant until mass-produced dip pens emerged around 1820.
Warmth
One princess enjoyed feather ticks so much that she slept on a pile of 40 of them—and still felt the pea on the bottom!
Today, people use down feathers from ducks or geese in jackets, sleeping bags, and blankets for their excellent insulation properties.
The use of feathers for bedding dates back centuries, providing insulation and comfort in featherbeds
As a child, I slept with feather ticks at my granny’s house. These were made primarily from chicken feathers, some duck, with the nibs cut off.
Feather ticks were common in historical bedding, often placed over a harder mattress to make it more comfortable. Also called a featherbed or tick, it’s a linen or cotton bag filled with feathery down and sewn shut, traditionally used as a mattress topper or blanket to add softness and warmth to a bed. Regarding the origin of the term “tick,” it refers to the fabric covering or bag that holds the feathers, not the insect.
Feather-filled pillows and comforters are popular for their softness and insulation.
Feather Market
There is money to be made in feathers! Recent market figures confirm that the global market in feather products is significant and expecting steady annual growth.
Fashion designers often use feathers in hats, boas, and capes for fashion.
Emperor Pedro II of Brazil wearing a wide collar of orange toucan feathers
Costume designers use them for Carnival and performance costumes (e.g., burlesque, theater, and dance). Feathered fans are traditional and iconic in fan dancing (especially in styles like burlesque or Hawaiian hula).
Some designers add feathers to clothing, bags, and shoes for a unique, luxurious, or exotic aesthetic.
Decorators use feathers in wreaths, garlands, centerpieces, and wall art.
I made this bouquet of feathers in crab tails!
DYI Crafts and Art
Jewelry (e.g., earrings, necklaces) Scrapbooking and card-making Dreamcatchers and other handmade decor Used in paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media art projects
Spiritual and Healing Practices
In some Indigenous traditions, participants use feathers to waft smoke from burning herbs (like sage or cedar) during smudging ceremonies.
In ancient Egypt, feathers symbolized truth and justice (e.g., the feather of Ma’at).
Feathers are sometimes used as symbols of achievement, such as in military or scout badges.
Military Uses
Historically, fletchers used feathers to stabilize arrows in flight, for battle, hunting, and archery demonstrations.
Feathers have adorned military uniforms in some historical periods (e.g., cavalry helmets or officer hats). Particularly on headgear, these feather adornments aid in battlefield identification.
Several Native America tribes present feathers to members for particularly courageous actions, such as military feats. These feather awards often form part of traditional regalia, including war bonnets and hair ornaments.
Musical Instruments
Artisans sometimes use feathers to decorate instruments like guitars, violins, ‘uli’uli, or drums for aesthetic purposes.
The word “shuttlecock” comes from the projectile’s resemblance to a rooster’s tail. A traditional shuttlecock is composed of feathers secured in a cork wrapped in thin leather. Badminton is the most well-known sport that uses shuttlecocks. Players hit the shuttlecock back and forth over a net using rackets.
Battledore is an ancient game similar to badminton, where players use a small paddle (battledore) to keep a shuttlecock in the air for as long as possible. Less structured than badminton, battledore is often played casually or by children.
Hanetsuki is a traditional Japanese game similar to battledore and shuttlecock. Players use wooden paddles to hit a shuttlecock and keep it airborne.
Home and Garden
Feather dusters are quite handy, traditionally used for cleaning delicate surfaces like lampshades, blinds, and furniture due to their softness and ability to trap dust.
Gardeners and farmers sometimes use feathers (especially owl feathers) in gardens or farms to deter pests like birds or rodents.
Environmental and Scientific Uses
Feathers are studied in biology and ecology to understand bird behavior, migration, and health.
Economists estimate that feathers yield a profit of about 50 cents per pound in industry, significantly higher than the profit from chicken meat—or so I read!
A byproduct of poultry processing, feather meal is used as a slow-release fertilizer in agriculture due to its high nitrogen content.
Research is ongoing into using feathers (keratin) to create sustainable materials like bioplastics or textiles.
Feathers harvested specifically for use in fashion or crafts raise ethical concerns about animal welfare. Many people use synthetic feathers (made from polyester or other materials) as cruelty-free alternatives in fashion and decor.
And Because Sex Was Mentioned in the Title
Feathers have a long history of being used in sensual and sexual contexts, often for their tactile, visual, and psychological appeal, often used as part of foreplay, roleplay, or sensory exploration.
Minneapolis hosts a city-wide pillow fight every year, perhaps the least erotic feathery orgy around!
Feathers can provide light, teasing touches to heighten sensitivity and arousal.
They are popular in sensory deprivation or tease-and-denial play. People might use feathers as part of bondage or restraint play, to enhance the experience of being controlled or immobilized. Partners may use feathers to explore each other’s bodies in new ways, adding variety to foreplay or massage.
Roleplay scenarios might feature feathers, such as feather dusters in domestic servant or maid fantasies.
Tantric or spiritual intimacy practices, where people use touch to deepen connection and mindfulness, may incorporate feathers.
In some cases, people use feathers in temperature play, either by chilling them or warming them.
Many people create homemade feather wands or ticklers by attaching feathers to handles or using them in combination with other tools like floggers or crops.
Issues to Consider
Ensure feathers are clean and free of allergens, especially if shared between partners or used in sensitive areas.
Sweat—we all do it. Indeed, humans are the sweatiest of all animals. And there’s a lot more to sweating than feeling damp!
For one thing, it’s everywhere!
Japanese warriors perspired so much that their helmets came with drain holes (ase nagashi no ana) under the chin guard.
Humans have 2 to 4 million sweat glands distributed—except for ears, lips, and nails—all over the body, with higher concentrations in some places, like the palms, forehead, and armpits. Your feet alone have 250,000 sweat glands, more than on your back.
A “normal” person sweats about 275 gallons each year. This is enough to fill the gas tanks of three mid-size SUVs.
There are two types of sweat glands: eccrine and apocrine. Eccrine glands are found all over the body and produce a watery fluid, while apocrine glands are located in hairy areas (think groin) and produce a thicker, milky fluid.
About 99% of sweat is water, with the remaining 1% consisting of salts, proteins, and other substances.
Your Sweaty Friend
One might say sweat is the body’s best friend!
Sweating helps regulate body temperature. When the liquid on your skin evaporates, transforming from a liquid into a gas, it takes some heat from the blood right under your skin with it. Cooler blood cools us down.
Though not its primary function, sweating can help expel small amounts of waste products like urea and ammonia.
Unfortunately, mosquitoes, along with many other insects, are attracted to human perspiration. Insects need the sodium in salt, just like the rest of us, and our salty perspiration has what they need.
Surprising Sweat
Sweat has characteristics and roles that many people might not be aware of.
Sweat itself doesn’t smell. Perspiration dripping from your forehead and arms after a run is mostly odorless. The odor associated with sweating comes from bacteria breaking down the liquid on the skin’s surface.
Online sources are divided on whether men sweat more than women, but there is agreement that women have more sweat glands than men. Men start sweating sooner when physically active. One possibility is that the amount of perspiration is mediated by the size and shape of the body.
But women and men smell different. “Researchers asked 60 volunteers to squeeze cotton gauze in their unwashed hands for 10 minutes, then analysed the chemical profile of the volatile organic compounds (mainly derived from sweat) that make up a person’s scent. They were able to distinguish gender with 97% accuracy.”
Women often experience hot flashes and increased sweating during menopause. Similar symptoms are also possible in men, because their testosterone level drops with age.
Fitter individuals tend to start sweating sooner and more profusely than those who are less fit, because their bodies are more efficient at cooling down.
Sweaty Revelations
Sweat tells a lot about you.
Darker, more concentrated perspiration can be a sign of dehydration.
When a person sweats excessively, even when not hot or exercising, it may signal a medical condition called hyperhidrosis. An estimated 360 million people worldwide suffer from extreme sweating.
Recurring night sweats can be caused by several other health conditions—besides menopause and hyperhidrosis: hormone disorders, an infection, or side effects from certain medications.
Just like fingerprints, the composition of a person’s sweat is unique and can be used for biometric identification.
Some foods increase sweating, include spicy foods like chili peppers, caffeinated beverages, alcohol, salt, meat, and many processed foods (especially the fat-filled ones).
Profuse sweating after eating, especially on only one side of the face, may be a sign of Frey’s Syndrome and might require medical treatment.
Fearful sweat is chemically different. Dogs and some humans can smell the difference.
Vegetarians have better smelling perspiration, according to one study. Women judged the sweat smell of non-meat eating and carnivorous men. The results: the vegetarian men had more attractive smelling sweat.
A genetic variation means that some people (mostly people of Asian descent) do not produce body odor, no matter how sweaty they get.
Odd Sweat
Sweat has some quirky aspects, too.
Sweat doesn’t drip off without gravity, so “astronauts wear special underwear on their spacewalks; it’s filled with cooling tubes that whisk the heat away. One bonus in the controlled environment of a space station: Any extra moisture from sweat that does get into the air is sucked up by the ventilation system and recycled into fresh water for the astronauts to drink.”
“Chromhidrosis” is a rare condition that causes colored perspiration, which can be yellow, green, blue, or even black.
Humans can sweat blood if they have a rare condition called Hematohidrosis. Capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat glands rupture, causing them to discharge blood. It occurs when the affected person is under extreme physical or emotional stress. This condition is so rare, only a handful of cases have ever been recorded.
The artificial sweat industry provides a variety of “sweats” depending on what it is needed for. Clothing, shoe, jewelry, musical instruments, and phone and tablet manufacturers all need to know how saltiness and pH (sweat is slightly acidic) affect their products. Forensic laboratories need a different blend for creating control fingerprints, whatever those might be.
Cultural Sweat
Sweat has played a role in various cultures and historical contexts.
Osho Inipi Sweat Lodge
Athletes in Ancent Greece scraped sweat, oil, and dirt off their skin after training at gymnasiums. This residue, gloios, was used to treat everything from skin ailments to joint inflammation.
Saunas are such an important part of Finnish culture that there are more saunas than people, including one attached to the Parliament building!
Several Native American communities, including the Lakota and the Maya, practice sweat lodge rituals. These steam baths are part of purification ceremonies and spiritual practices.
In some cultures, people view sweating as a sign of hard work and dedication. For example, in Japan, the phrase “sweat of one’s brow” is a compliment indicating diligence.
The “sweat of the brow” doctrine is an element of copyright law. It means that a creator has earned copyright control over their work by virtue of the effort expended to make it.
Useful Sweat
Sweat has contemporary uses.
Sweat sensors can monitor health metrics like hydration levels, glucose, and electrolyte balance.
Athletes use sweat analysis to optimize performance. By studying their sweat composition, they can tailor their hydration and nutrition strategies.
Because sweat is in part sourced from the liquid parts of blood, it’s packed with information: testing sweat can detect the presence of caffeine, alcohol, cocaine – or even spicy tomato snacks.
Sweat patches are sometimes used to monitor substance use over time.
Sweaty Interactions
Sweat also interacts with our surroundings.
When sweat evaporates, it absorbs heat from the skin, which can slightly cool the surrounding air.
The salts in sweat can cause metals to corrode faster, which is why gym equipment and electronics often have protective coatings.
Mythical Sweat
Sweat myths debunked.
Myth: Sweating helps you lose weight. While you might lose water weight through sweating, it doesn’t result in fat loss.
Myth:Sweating more means you’re out of shape. In reality, fit people often perspire more efficiently because their bodies are better at regulating temperature.
Myth:You can sweat out toxins. While perspiration does contain some waste products, the liver and kidneys are primarily responsible for detoxification.
Healthy Sweat
Sweat plays a significant role in personal hygiene and health.
If sweat is odorless, why the body odor of armpits and groin? The sweat glands in those places are the apocrine glands, mentioned above. They are activated at puberty and produce fluid that is fattier, more viscous and higher in protein —very appealing to bacteria!
Bottom Line: Sweat isn’t just a sign of a good workout or a hot day; it plays a crucial role in our body’s ability to regulate temperature and maintain overall health.
What people notice first is the visual appearance of head hair. Indeed, I wrote a whole blog about head hair (Hairy Issues, May 27, 2025). But hair is much more than grooming!
Cultural and Social Importance
Identity and Expression: Hair is a powerful tool for self-expression. Hairstyles, colors, and length often reflect personal identity, cultural heritage, and social status. Hair length and cut often signal biological sex.
Rastafarians wear their hair long to symbolize their connection to the Biblical Samson.
Hair can symbolize various traits across cultures.
Freedom and Rebellion: Long, uncut hair often signifies a desire for freedom (e.g., hippie movement) or spiritual devotion (e.g., sadhus in India).
Religion and Spirituality: In many cultures, hair holds spiritual significance. Sikhs do not cut their hair as a sign of respect for God’s creation. Buddhist monks and nuns shave their heads to symbolize detachment from worldly desires. At least 14 religions have requirements or “recommendations” about hair length, style, and/or covering.
Rituals and Rites of Passage: Haircuts or hairstyles mark significant life events (e.g., first haircut in some cultures, mourning practices where the bereaved cut their hair or leave it uncut).
Protection: Hair on the scalp protects the head from UV radiation and minor injuries. Tightly curled hair provides more protection from solar radiation (which is particularly strong around the Equator) than straight hair. Eyebrows and eyelashes shield the eyes from sweat, dust, and other debris.
Sensory Functions: Hair follicles connect to nerve endings, making them sensitive to touch, temperature, pain, and fear.
Indicator of Health: Changes in hair texture, thickness, or loss can signal nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, stress, autoimmune diseases, or underlying health conditions (e.g., thyroid disorders, alopecia). Hair is also used to assess exposure to substances.
Beauty and Cosmetics Industry: Hair care is a major source of profit in the beauty industry, from such products as shampoos, conditioners, dyes, and styling tools. The global hair care market is valued at billions of dollars annually.
Wigs and Extensions: Wig makers highly prize human hair for wigs, extensions, and hairpieces for cosmetic purposes, especially for cancer patients.
Textiles and Materials: Animal hair (e.g., wool, cashmere) is used in textiles, but human hair is also repurposed in some industries (e.g., for making felt).
Recycling and Sustainability
Human hair is increasingly recycled for environmental purposes.
Oil Spill Cleanup: Hair absorbs oil, making it useful for cleaning up environmental disasters.
Fertilizer and Compost: Hair decomposes slowly and adds nitrogen to compost.
Art and Crafts: Particularly creative people up-cycle human hair into jewelry, sculptures, or other art projects.
Environmental Impact
Biodegradability: Unlike synthetic fibers, human hair is biodegradable, reducing microplastic pollution when discarded. However, it takes several years to break down, so large amounts of it can still cause volume problems.
Waste Reduction: Recycling hair diverts waste from landfills and reduces the environmental footprint of industries like beauty and fashion.
Self-Esteem and Confidence: Hair can significantly impact self-image and confidence. Hair loss or changes in hair health can affect mental well-being.
Memory and Sentiment: People often preserve locks of hair as keepsakes (e.g., baby’s first haircut, memorial locks) to commemorate loved ones or significant life events.
Ethical and Compassionate Considerations
Animal Welfare: Using human hair instead of animal-derived materials (e.g., fur) can align with ethical and compassionate values.
Sustainability: Supporting businesses that recycle or up-cycle hair contributes to a circular economy and reduces environmental harm.
Controversies and Challenges
Exploitation: The hair industry has faced criticism for exploitative practices, such as unethical sourcing of human hair without fair compensation (e.g., from underprivileged communities).
Cultural Appropriation: Hairstyles rooted in specific cultures are sometimes adopted without acknowledgment or respect, leading to debates about cultural appropriation vs. appreciation.
Targeted Regulations: Many organizations adopt grooming standards that ban hairstyles disproportionately used by members of a particular ethnic, racial, or cultural group.
Hair Recycling Programs: Organizations like Hair We Share and Locks of Love collect donated hair to make wigs for those in need. Hair must be at least 10 inches long, measured tip to tip, to be used in a hairpiece. Some organizations accept shorter donations, which they might sell to offset costs or repurpose for environmental projects. Many salons participate in programs that collect waste hair for recycling.
Biotechnology: Scientists are exploring lab-grown hair follicles as a sustainable alternative for medical and cosmetic uses.
Why does he do it? To keep people’s attention? To make them think about what he’s really saying? His motivation is unknown. But if you are inclined to pursue such a hobby, there are whole dictionaries of such words out there.
An Old Word
The Dictionary of Old-Fashioned Words for example, provides 96 pages of words used more often in the past than currently, but still quite serviceable. Cooeeis defined as an exclamation to attract someone’s attention. On the farms of my childhood, it was used to call in the cows for milking or the pigs for slops. Yonder hill meant that hill over there.
If your focus is less on age than familiarity, there is always the option of The Indispensable Dictionary of Unusual Words, with 259 pages of (according to the book jacket) “… the most unusual, improbable, unbelievable, and inexplicable words ever to find their way into a dictionary.”
Compiled by an actual lexicographer, this is a must-have dictionary for every logolept(word fanatic) out there.
But for pure entertainment, I recommend Weird and Wonderful Words. Words appear alphabetically, as one would expect in a dictionary. A couple of things set this word book apart.
For one thing, Roz Chast, whose cartoons frequently appear in The New Yorker, illustrated many of the best entries. In addition, I enjoy the “extended coverage” that accompanies some words. For example, octothorpeis the # keypad symbol on touch-tone phones; also called pound, number sign, hash, or crosshatch. The nine-line entry tells when and how the symbol got its name, and how it relates to Olympian Jim Thorpe.
A New Word
Of course, some people are more concerned with the newest “in” words rather than the oldest or weirdest. Rizz, freestyle, girl dinner, bed rotting, climate breakdown, and global boiling are among the newest entries to dictionaries. Without further ado, here are some of the newest words major English dictionaries have included as of mid-2026.
Floordrobe(noun) clothes piled on the floor instead of being put away
Humblebrag(noun) a seemingly modest or self-deprecating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud
Long Game (phrase) strategic planning or consideration of a situation over a long period
An AI Slop “medical information” poster containing no actual information and plenty of gibberish
AI Slop (phrase) digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence
Tasteslop(noun) content (such as food or media) that is excessively indulgent, overly sweet, or poorly balanced in a way that feels unappealing OR the flattening of trends in fashion, art, design, etc. for the purposes of generating easily digestible social media content
Vibe Hacking (phrase) the practice of manipulating or optimizing one’s environment, mood, or social interactions to achieve a desired emotional or energetic state OR using artificial intelligence agents and tools to plan and execute cyberattacks by automating key stages of the attack (the counterpart to vibe coding)
Dead Internet Theory (phrase) the suspicion that most online activity is generated by bots and algorithms rather than real people
Screenless Technology (phrase) technology that operates without a traditional screen interface, such as voice-controlled or gestured-based devices
Five-Finger style barefoot shoes
Barefoot Shoe (phrase) a minimalist shoe designed to mimic the experience of walking barefoot, promoting natural foot movement
Wardrobing(verb) the practice of returning used clothing after trying it on in a store, effectively shoplifting by using the item and then returning it
Script Kiddie (phrase) a person who uses existing computer scripts or code to hack into computers, lacking the expertise to write their own
Dubai Chocolate (phrase) a luxurious or ultra-premium variety of chocolate, often associated with high-end or exotic branding
Where Do New Words Come From?
Dictionary editors add new words through a systemic process that involves research, analysis, and consensus-building among linguists, lexicographers, and language experts.
New words, also called neologisms, emerge from various sources:
Technology: Words like selfie, hashtag, AI, and blockchainentered the lexicon due to technological advancements. Electric traction cars in 1883 gave us the first use of the word automobile.
The original spinster
Culture and Society: Words like woke, cancel culture, or climate anxiety reflect societal changes. In the 15th century, mistrust of left-handed people gave us the word sinister. Similarly, 14th century women able to support themselves through spinning and weaving gave us the word spinster.
Science and Medicine: As science and technology advance, terms like COVID-19, mRNA, and CRISPR enter common usage. In 1798, Edward Jenner published his research into variolae vaccinae (cow pustules), which gave us the word vaccine.
Pop Culture: Words from movies, TV shows, or music, such as bling(popularized by hip-hop culture) or spoiler(from fandom communities). Hooligan was the name of a raucous Irish family (Houlihan) popularized in a song from the 1890s.
Mayan pot showing chocolate making
Borrowings: Words borrowed from other languages like sushi(Japanese), kindergarten(German), or rendezvous(French). One of my favorites, chocolate, comes to us from Nahuatl.
Slang and Informal Language: Words like lit, ghosting, or yeetoften start in informal contexts before gaining wider acceptance. In the 19th Century, when everything Norse was fashionable in England, the Old Norse word berserk(originally a compound of bear and shirt) became a slang term for out of control with anger.
Not every word makes it into a dictionary. Why some and not others is still a mystery to me. For example, whopper-jawed is recognized by the OED but not by Webster’s, and skiwappidyisn’t recognized any place I found (including the spell-checking program on the computer as I type).
Dictionary Updates
As Gregory Barlow, President of Merriam-Webster explains, “The one constant of a vibrant living language is change. We continuously encounter new ways of describing the world around us, and the dictionary is a record of those changes.” If a word is approved, it is added to the dictionary in its next update. Dictionaries are updated regularly, though the frequency depends on the format.
Print Dictionaries: updated every few years (e.g., Merriam-Webster updates annually).
Online Dictionaries: updated more frequently (e.g., Oxford English Dictionary adds new words quarterly).
Here are some words major dictionaries have added in recent years:
Merriam-Webster:
The post-truth deepfake of Pope Francis in drip rizz was ultra moist but not authentic.
Some dictionaries, like Urban Dictionary, focus on slang and informal language, which may not meet the criteria for traditional dictionaries. Technical terms like CRISPR or quantum computing are added to specialized dictionaries first. Words like y’all (Southern U.S., second person pronoun) or chuddies(British slang for underwear) appear in regional dictionaries.
Social media and the internet accelerate the creation of new words, making it hard for dictionaries to keep up.
One’s acceptance of – or resistance to – new words, I believe, relates to age. I read somewhere, sometime, that what is considered correct depends on what was taught during one’s last year of formal education. My mystery co-author, seventeen years my senior, thought using till instead of until an abomination, ditto the word prioritize. Personally, I deplore the current acceptance of data as singular; the correct singular is datum. “The data is…” makes me cringe. Ditto criteria vs. criterion.
Bottom Line: Language changes, and people must go with the flow, like it or not.
Language changes; words come and go. Should you hold on to each archaic word as it slips from usage? Or grab every fresh slang term as it flits across society?
As you all probably recall, my definition of a beach read is whatever people actually read at the beach. This year, twelve people ages 17-95, read the following 21 actual books (listed alphabetically by author).
It started with Simon’s conviction that the world’s population growth was far out-pacing the food supply. In spite of the growing popularity of minicattle—only half as big as standard cattle, eating only a third as much, and producing proportionately more beef for the grain they consume—Simon concluded that eating animal protein is an inefficient use of resources and became a vegan. For months he harangued family and friends, and wrote letters to the editor of the local paper, citing statistics on how much grain is consumed to produce a pound of beef and the nutritional value of that pound of beef compared to the nutritional value of the grain if consumed directly by humans.
His wife Millicent, also a research statistician and usually sanguine, had weathered Simon’s past rants on everything from regreening the Sahara to mandating solar heat in all new buildings. But one morning, her patience snapped. She slapped two plates of bacon and eggs onto the table. “You might as well eat it. Your vegan campaign is doomed from the get-go.” Simon glared at her but she talked on. “The global bread basket isn’t big enough to feed everyone on plants alone. Only about one tenth of the land not under ice is suitable for cultivation and nearly all of that is already under plow.” She forked eggs and bacon into her mouth and talked around them.
“Besides, nearly sixty percent of the world’s meat comes from grazing, foraging, and free-range feeding. Why give that up? Instead, we should use more of what’s already available—hearts and livers, brains and feet, kidneys and tongues.”
Simon pushed his plate aside but made no answer. Over the next several days, he verified her data and scrutinized her logic and could find no fault. He settled onto the sofa with his gloom and watched TV, barely stirring for days on end. When the papers carried reports of international rice shortages and wholesale food suppliers across the nation limited customers to four twenty-pound bags of rice per visit, anxiety lay in Simon’s stomach like a stone. One day he said, “You’re right, Millie. But you didn’t go far enough. Cattle, hogs, sheep, chickens—why limit ourselves to them? What about rabbits and squirrels? Feral dogs and cats? Voles, rats—anything?”
Millie said, “That’s very rational. There’s a Swahili saying—kila nyama nyama tu—every meat is meat. People in China and Vietnam and India have eaten rats and snakes for centuries. I’ll get recipes.”
As they shifted their menus from beef steak and chicken breasts to dog ham, raccoon barbecue, and grilled rats Bordeaux style, Simon’s gloom lifted. When his children came home from school crying because their friends said smoked eel sandwiches were gross, Simon and Millie switched to the foreign names for their food—told them they were having escargot instead of snails, for example, hasenpfeffer instead of pepper rabbit for dinner—and household peace returned.
This idyllic interval came to an end when Simon read that the real threat of global warming wasn’t rising temperatures per se, or even rising water tables, but that vast expanses of currently arable land would become desert. Desert wouldn’t support even free-range grazers. In addition, warmer climates and more frequent warming cycles would increase insect populations, which would compete with humans for plant food. This time, Simon’s depression was so severe that he was hospitalized for three months. His indigo mood lightened only when the solution came to him: people should eat more insects.
Simon checked himself out, and a week later he handed Millie a sheaf of recipes for Rocky Mountain Locust Stew, Woodlouse Sushi, Green Salad with Toasted Beetles, and similar international delicacies. He said, “Global warming is still in its infancy, but this planet already has seventy pounds of insects for every pound of human flesh. Think about that. Besides, we eat crabs and lobsters and other bottom feeders. Why not nice vegan insects? Just think of them as microlivestock.”
Millie sat silent for a long time. Eventually she smiled. “Kila nyama nyama tu.”
Together they attended workshops with titles like Incredible Edible Insects and came away armed with statistics on the protein, fat, and mineral value of termites, caterpillars, and weevils compared to beef or fish. They picked up valuable tips about everything from covering the colander with wire mesh when washing crickets to putting cleaned insects in the freezer for fifteen minutes or so to kill but not freeze them before cooking. For her birthday, Simon gave Millie The Eat-a-Bug Cookbook. Soon she was making insect flour and adapting standard recipes to include insects. They bought less from supermarkets and more from pet stores, bait shops, and insect suppliers. Simon and Millie wore matching T-shirts that said Proud to be Entomophagous, and informed anyone who inquired that eighty percent of the world’s population eats insects intentionally.
Predictably, the children rebelled, even though Simon pointed out that honey is just a form of bug juice. Annie said, “Look, I stuck it out through tripe and guinea pig in that spicy Peruvian sauce, even creamed snails. But I draw the line at white ant pie.” Junior agreed.
Simon said, “This isn’t a negotiation. Hit the floor and give me push-ups. Keep at it till you decide to eat your dinner or you collapse, whichever comes first.” In bed with Millie, he said, “I feel bad about the push-ups. But we’re talking survival here. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to save my children.”
After that, the children’s surrender was complete. Though they never talked about it with their friends, cockroach samosas were a big hit, as were Ant Brood Tacos and Chocolate Chirpie Chip Cookies.
When Simon learned that cockroaches are one of the most populous insects, he read all that he could find about them. He pored over The Compleat Cockroach for hours. He sprinkled tidbits of information into the dinnertime conversation. “Did you know that it takes twenty seconds to explode a cockroach in the microwave? They explode because they’re so fat—not like ants, which just sit there.” He grinned at Millie. “You can grease cookie sheets with their fat, there’s so much of it.” Another time he said, “Cockroaches can live for a week without their heads. They die after a week only because they can’t drink.” He learned that cockroaches have been around for 360 to 400 million years, compared to only two million for modern man. He built a cockroach farm, like an ant farm only bigger, and spent hours a day observing those splendid creatures. He contemplated opening an insect factory. When Millie objected to using their 401-K money to fund the project, he said, “Insects are the food of the future. Some day there will be money made farming insects, and I’ll be ahead of the curve. Cockroaches could be my flagship product.”
Simon attended to the cockroach hissing, read their thoughts, and realized that, for the most part, cockroaches aren’t profound thinkers. But they are masters of survival. They can live on nothing but book bindings or laundry detergent. And when all else fails, they cannibalize their own. One day Simon realized that the king cockroach was mocking him, deriding the miniscule human history and making much of the longevity of the cockroach family. Mulling this over, Simon became convinced that the only sure way to survive the coming apocalypse was to meld with the cockroaches. For weeks he fretted about how to do this—until one day he burst out laughing. He’d begun already. If not, how could he read their thoughts?
Coming home from Junior’s ball game, tired and hungry, Simon and Millie turned on the kitchen light and found the king cockroach on the counter. They could have harvested him in an instant. But they had leftover veggie pizza in the fridge, so they ignored the king. The king stretched out his neck and flew at Millie. She batted him away. When he persisted, Simon dropped a plastic dishpan over him. On their way to bed, they found two huge cockroaches on the hallway wall, stretching their necks out and eyeing them both. Simon and Millie hurried into the bedroom and slammed the door. Long into the night they heard the cockroaches dive-bombing their door. The next morning, the cockroaches were gone. But Simon knew that, come nightfall, they would be back.
Simon fretted over why the cockroaches were attacking them. He consulted two entomologist friends and learned that cockroaches stretch their necks and fly when they are interested in mating. Simon’s laughter bubbled forth. He and Millie and the cockroaches were on the verge of total melding. Their children’s children’s children would survive.
