The Big Apple:

An etymological dictionary

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

“Out like a fat kid in dodgeball”

The game of dodgeball requires players to dodge a ball thrown at them. A fat, immobile person would be a large target to get hit with the ball and be out of the game. "Out like a fat kid n…

Splash Play

A "splash play" in football is a play that makes a big splash -- that is, it makes a big impact on the game. A "splash play" might be a quarterback sack, a tackle for a loss, a…

Aporkalypse (apocalypse + pork)

The term "aporkalypse" (apocalypse + pork) became widely used in 2009, when there were fears of a deadly swine flu virus. The New York Times listed "aporkalypse" as one of its…

Wing Wednesday

"Wing Wednesday" is when an eating establishment serves chicken wings on Wednesday -- usually at a reduced price. "Wild Wing Wednesday" has been cited in print since at least…