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| Image of Williams Shakespeare from onextrapixel.com |
In writing his now classic works of literature, Shakespeare also created words that would eventually become part of everyday language. For instance, if you've ever uttered the words "generous" and "majestic," or have even said the word "lonely," then you've used words that were originally made up by Shakespeare.
In an illuminating article, the Huffington Post has listed "13 Words You Probably Didn't Know Were Invented by Shakespeare." Besides "generous," "majestic," and "lonely," the Bard also came up with the following words:
Laughable
Definition: Bad in a way that seems foolish or silly.
Origin: Derived from the verb "laugh."
Quote: "Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable." - The Merchant of Venice
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Radiance
Definition: A quality of brightness and happiness that can be seen on a person's face.
Origin: Derived from the Latin radiantem, meaning "beaming."
Quote: "For by the sacred radiance of the sun." - King Lear
Frugal
Definition: Careful about spending money or using things when you do not need to.
Origin: From the Latin frugi, meaning "useful, proper, worthy, honest."
Quote: "Chid I for that at frugal Nature's frame?" - Much Ado About Nothing
Courtship
Definition: The activities that occur when people are developing a romantic relationship that could lead to marriage or the period of time when such activities occur.
Origin: "Court" was first used to mean "woo" in the 1570s; prior, it was used to mean "king's court, princely residence," derived from the French cort.
Quote: "To courtship and such far ostents of love." - The Merchant of Venice
Hurry
Definition: Move or act with haste; rush.
Origin: Likely derived from the verb "harry."
Quote: "Lives, honors, lands, and all hurry to loss." - Henry VI Part I
It seems that Shakespeare originated 1,700 words in all! For just 13 of them, however, check out the Huffington Post article at THIS LINK.
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