To “Escape,” Leave Your Cape Behind Someone grabs your cloak. You slip out of it and run, leaving your pursuer clutching an empty garment. That scene captures the image hidden…

“Sincere” Does Not Mean “Without Wax” A sincere apology feels honest and unforced. Originally, however, the word described something pure and uncorrupted. It comes through French from the Latin sincerus,…

A “Promise” Sends Your Word Into the Future When you make a promise, you linguistically send something ahead of you. The word entered English through Old French promesse, from Latin…

The Latin word māter means “mother.” Its genitive form is mātris, which is why many English descendants use mater-, matr-, or matri-. Here are some of the most interesting ones:…