words that mean different things in different contexts

Fizzle: The verb fizzle once referred to the act of producing quiet flatulence (think “SBD”) American college slang flipped the word’s meaning to refer to failing at things.

Awful: Awful things used to be “worthy of awe” for a variety of reasons, which is how we get expressions like “the awful majesty of God.”.

Silly: Meanwhile, silly went in the opposite direction: in its earliest uses, it referred to things worthy or blessed from there it came to refer to the weak and vulnerable, and more recently to those who are foolish.

Nice: This word used to mean “silly, foolish, simple.” Far from the compliment it is today!.

Here is just a small sampling of words you may not have realized didn’t always mean what they mean today. Words have been changing meaning - sometimes radically - as long as there have been words and speakers to speak them. The good news: History tells us that we’ll be fine.

How in the world are we all going to communicate effectively if we allow words to shift in meaning like that? We sometimes notice words changing meaning under our noses (e.g., unique coming to mean “very unusual” rather than “one of a kind”) - and it can be disconcerting. Words change meaning over time in ways that might surprise you. Language historian Anne Curzan takes a closer look at this phenomenon, and shares some words that used to mean something totally different. Homophone comes from the Greek -phōnos (meaning “sounding”) homograph is from the Greek graphein (“to write”) homonym is from the Greek onyma (meaning “name”).Words change meaning all the time - and over time.

All of these words are formed with the combining form homo-, meaning “one and the same similar alike,” and each has an additional root that sheds light on the word’s meaning. If you would like to distinguish between these words but have trouble remembering their differences, etymology can be of assistance. Some people feel that the use of homonym should be restricted to words that are spelled alike but are different in pronunciation and meaning, such as the bow of a ship and the bow that shoots arrows. Homonym may be used to refer to either homophones or to homographs. Sometimes these words sound different (as in the bow of a ship, and the bow that shoots arrows), and sometimes these words sound the same (as in quail meaning ‘to cower’ and quail meaning a type of bird). Homographs are words that are spelled alike but are different in meaning or derivation or pronunciation. These words may be spelled differently from each other (such as to, too, and two), or they may be spelled the same way (as in quail meaning ‘to cower’ and quail meaning a type of bird). Homophones are words pronounced alike but different in meaning or derivation or spelling. Here is a slightly less simple explanation for each of these words: Homonyms can be homophones, homographs, or both. Homographs are words that are spelled the same but are different. Homophones are words that sound the same but are different. Here is the simplest explanation we can give for each of these words: Welcome to homophones, homographs, and homonyms. Or the fact that there is a single word which describes these two very different types of words. Or all the words which are spelled the same but don’t sound the same at all. Among these are the large number of words that are spelled differently but which sound the same.

There are many aspects of the English language that might be described as tricky, or even vexatious.

Words that mean different things in different contexts