'The high five was invented in 1977': Etymologists reveal the origins of well-known words and phrases

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Mar 7, 2024 1:00 PM EST

One of the many mind-bending things about knowing a language is how many words and sayings we use while having next to no idea of their origin. Writing and speech change all the time, and when they are built on for hundreds or thousands of years it's inevitable that some things are going to get lost in translation.

What is even more wild is how quickly we forget how certain things become a part of the popular lexicon. Sometimes, it only takes a few short years for a phrase to be commonly used, but the context it came from is unclear. When one Twitter user claimed that the term 'Debbie Downer' was first coined by SNL, many rushed to claim that this was incorrect. However, many others chimed in with their own examples of phrases with potentially interesting backstories. Popular culture is more influential than we give it credit for sometimes.

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  • 01
    stand pillsbe holden m. accounta... @noahpasaran Follow finding out the term "Debbie downer" was coined on SNL is one of those real facts that do not seem congruent with the world
    via noahpasaran
  • 02
    37 holden m. accounta... @noahpasaran Follow The term downer existed but attaching Debbie to it was the innovation Evolving from the character's popularity, the name Debbie Downer eventually became an established slang phrase referring to a pessimistic person who frequently adds bad news and negative feelings to a gathering, thus bringing down the mood of everyone around them. The word downer has been used in this meaning since at least the 1970s. Dratch's character would usually appear at socia
    via noahpasaran
  • 03
    sidereal @sidereal111 . 1d Replying to @noahpasaran I grew up with my mom saying "don't be such a Debbie downer." SNL did not invent this
    via sidereal111
  • 04
    eckzhall @eckzhall. 1d Replying to @noahpasaran and @eliMental Witch No no no no no. The sketch is based on the phrase, not the other way around. Holy moly.
    via eckzhall
  • 05
    hgtp://altif @altifbrown 1d Replying to @noahpasaran Or that the high five was invented in 1977. ●
    via altifbrown
  • 06
    Reply Guy Montag @Fissure256.1d Replying to @noahpasaran "Bucket list" was coined by a movie from 15 years ago
    via Fissure256
  • 07
    Liam Follow @LegoRacers2 My favorite is that the phrase "Mother of all was coined by Saddam 11
    via LegoRacers2
  • 08
    laura @ecto_fun - 23h this is like when i found out beastie boys invented the word mullet
    via ecto_fun
  • 09
    constans @constans • 1d ● "Oh you sweet summer child" being entirely the invention of Game of Thrones is another one of those things.
    via constans
  • 10
    kwïn hüz /blm/ @riotsurvivor . 20h my favorite one of these is that the term "cougar" was coined in the VANCOUVER #CANUCKS DRESSING ROOM in the 1980s Lucia: The term cougar is thought to have originated in the late 80's in the dressing room of the Vancouver Canucks dressing room by a player named Taylor Hall. He began to call the older, single women who came to their games "Cougars". Oct 17, 2010 unbreakablemanlaws.com W https://unbreakablemanlaws.com > 2010/10/17> we-ke.. ⠀ An Exclusive Intervi
    via riotsurvivor
  • 11
    MistakenlyBlockedb... @GarlicCorgi Said this before but "quiet part out loud" is from the Simpsons and now people say it to talk about democracy ending Follow
    via GarlicCorgi
  • 12
    no @zedonarrival. 1d i learned very recently that justin timberlake coined 'wardrobe malfunction' during his 'apology' for ripping janet's top @ the superbowl
    via zedonarrival
  • 13
    River Tam @RiverTamYDN. 18h Bush vs Gore in 2000 was the first election when everyone standardized on Dems being blue and Republicans being red.
    via RiverTamYDN
  • 14
    Silly Goose, Esq. @alliejaykay - 23h The term "catfish" was coined by the MTV documentary/show Catfish based on a nonsensical rambling from a random dude in the documentary
    via alliejaykay
  • 15
    Sam Haft @SamHaft 10h a guy I knew at school got in trouble for (involuntarily?) exclaiming "big 99 while scrolling MySpace profiles, and 15 yr old me was like "why don't you say tig bitties to not get in trouble" and he did, a LOT, and I you not I spent a decade wondering if I made that up ●
    via SamHaft
  • 16
    The Forever Catalog... @FieneJeff Follow 'Nightmare Fuel' was coined by Crow T. Robot. GIF ALT
    via FieneJeff
  • 17
    LinkedIn Park @Cinemacreep.3h My favourite example of this is how the beautiful phrase "I will face God and walk backwards into "did not come from classic literature, but from a dril tweet about screaming at zoo animals wint @dril IF THE ZOO BANS ME FOR HOLLERING AT THE ANIMALS I WILL FACE GOD AND WALK BACKWARDS INTO LIKES RETWEETS 4,523 5,892 2:46 PM - 22 May 2012 Follow BOD
    via Cinemacreep
  • 18
    Pughausen A @RedArmyRockstar "Mid" was from a pro-wrestling promo. Follow
    via RedArmyRockstar
  • 19
    Hermetic Opus @HermeticOpus GIF Follow Brainiac (the Superman villain, first appearance 1958) is the origin of the term brainiac as a smart person or nerd (sarcastic or otherwise).
    via HermeticOpus
  • 20
    AKA Mack @cubano_sucio . 11h many don't realize this but the great Richard Lewis coined the phrase "the from it's true. HE COINED THE PHRASE, "THE BLANK FROM GIF
    via cubano_sucio
  • 21
    Cat @cat_hyman. 1d Replying to @noahpasaran Also the acronym BFF was coined on Friends! I rewatched an episode years ago where Phoebe mentions her mom's BFF and everyone looked confused until she said best friends forever. And I was like wait how do they not know what that means?? Lol.
    via cat_hyman

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