The Big Apple:

An etymological dictionary

Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.

Bagnut or Dogel (bagel + donut)

Bagels and donuts both have holes in them -- what if they could be combined? "Bagnut" and "doughngel" were cited in print in 2003. "Dogel" was cited in print in 2008.…

Big Apple Blizzard (Dairy Queen dessert)

Dairy Queen (DQ) opened its first Manhattan restaurant in May 2014. Dairy Queen first introduced its Blizzard dessert (soft serve ice cream with mixed-in extras) in 1985. To celebrate the Manhattan…

Ramenrrito (ramen + burrito)

Presstea (167 Seventh Avenue South in Manhattan) introduced the "ramenrrito" (ramen noodles + burrito) in 2013. The name "ramenrrito" was trademarked with a first use in…

Knork (knife + fork)

A "knork" (pronounced "nork") is a combination of a "knife" and a "fork." The utensil name "knork" has been cited in print since at least 1987 and…

Mom Wine (Mommy Wine)

"Mom wine" (or "mommy wine") is any wine that is consumed by mothers. The term became popularized in April and May 2011, when MommyJuice and Mommy's Time Out had a…

Gourmaise (gourmet + mayonnaise)

"Gourmaise" (gourmet + mayonnaise) has been used as the name of several trademarked products. McCormick & Co. had a trademark (now expired) on "Gourmaise" in 1971.…

“Water flows uphill toward money”

Water usually follows gravity and flows downhill. "Water flows uphill to/toward/towards money" is a jocular saying popular where water is scarce, such as in California, Arizona and Texas.…