25 Words Whose Meanings Have Shifted Over Time

In 1659, the English clergyman Thomas Fuller wrote the word unfriended in a letter, and it’s clear he wasn’t referring to his Facebook profile. Back then, the term meant something akin to “estranged” or “no longer on good terms,” a definition that has since disappeared from common usage.

Language naturally evolves, with words adapting to fresh and inventive contexts over time. However, this evolution can sometimes result in words acquiring entirely new meanings that diverge significantly from their original interpretations—as demonstrated by the 25 words highlighted here.

1. Alienate

A person transferring the keys to a house. | courtneyk/iStock

The term alienate, akin to alien, traces its roots to the Latin alienus, which referred to something unfamiliar or foreign. Initially used in English as a legal term in the mid-1400s, it meant to transfer property ownership, making it “foreign” or “disconnected” from the original owner. Over time, this evolved into the modern sense of creating emotional distance or estrangement.

2. Ambidextrous

Ambidextrous today means “able to use both hands with equal skill.” However, its original 16th-century meaning was quite different: an ambidexter was someone who accepted bribes from both parties in a legal dispute, giving the word its early connotation of being deceitful or “two-faced.”

3. Bunny

A squirrel perched on a log, tilting its head to one side as if puzzled. | Kativ/iStock

The word bunny originates from bun, an old English term that referred to a squirrel, not a rabbit.

4. Cheap

The term cheap to describe something as “low-cost” emerged roughly 500 years ago. While this might seem recent, it pales in comparison to its 9th-century origins, where cheap referred to “trade,” “bargaining,” or “marketplace.” Similarly, to cheapen originally meant inquiring about the price of something.

5. Dump

A woman looking bored, her thought bubble filled with images of palm trees, flip flops, suitcases, and an airplane. | darkbird77/iStock

Today, saying we’re “down in the dumps” implies feeling sad or low. However, the original dump in Tudor English referred to a distracted daydream or a confused state of mind, not sadness. This likely stems from an old Dutch word, domp, meaning “haze” or “mist.”

6. Explode

The –plode in explode shares its origin with applaud, initially meaning “to drive a performer offstage with jeers.”

7. Fantastic

A unicorn standing in a magical forest, encircled by fairies. | walbyent/iStock

The connection between fantastic and pure fantasy was once far stronger. Originally, fantastic meant

“existing solely in the imagination,” implying something “unreal” or “fictional.” Over time, as such extraordinary or peculiar things captivated people, the term broadened to describe anything bizarre, fanciful, or ultimately awe-inspiring.

8. FASCINATED

The word fascinated stems from the Latin fascinus, which denoted a magical charm or spell. Thus, its earliest meaning was “bewitched” or “enchanted,” rather than simply “interested” or “captivated.”

9. Gamut

A close-up view of piano keys. | fermate/iStock

Before the do-re-mi system, the lowest note in a musical scale was known as ut. The very lowest of these was gamma ut (named after the Greek letter gamma), which later shortened to gamut. Over time, gamut evolved to describe all the notes in a musical scale, then the complete range of an instrument, eventually leading to its modern meaning of “the full scope” or “extent” of something by the mid-1700s.

10. Girl

Originally, girl was a gender-neutral term, equivalent to child or kid. Its meaning began to shift in the 15th century when boy—initially meaning “a male servant or assistant”—entered English (possibly from French), splitting the meaning of girl and creating the gender-specific pair we use today.

11. Handicap

A person placing money into another person's hat. | MichalLudwiczak/iStock

Contrary to popular belief, the term handicap does not originate from injured soldiers begging with caps in hand. Instead, it comes from an old trading practice where goods were evaluated by a neutral third party to ensure fair exchange. If both parties agreed, they would drop money into the assessor’s cap; if not, no trade occurred. This concept of assessing value led to handicap races in the 18th century, where stronger participants were slowed for fairness, eventually evolving into the modern sense of an impediment by the late 1800s.

12. Husband

Originally, a husband referred to a homeowner or head of a household, regardless of marital status. Its roots lie in words meaning “home” (related to house) and “dweller” or “freeholder.” Meanwhile, wife initially meant “woman,” a usage still seen in terms like housewife and midwife.

13. Jargon

A flock of birds perched on a power line. | Rike_/iStock

The term jargon originally described the chirping and chattering of birds, as referenced in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Since bird sounds are incomprehensible to humans, the word evolved to mean “meaningless or unintelligible language.”

14. Keen

The word keen originally didn’t mean “eager” or “enthusiastic.” It comes from the Old English cene, which meant “bold,” “fierce,” or “warlike.”

15. Livid

A person applying a bandage to a bruised knee. | bert_phantana/iStock

Originally, livid referred to a grey-blue shade, similar to slate. In the early 1600s, it described something “bruised” or “discolored.” It wasn’t until the 1920s that it took on the meaning of “extremely angry,” likely inspired by the idea of someone’s face losing color in rage.

16. Manage

The word manage comes from the Latin manus, meaning “hand,” through Italian. It initially referred to physically handling something, especially controlling a horse.

17. Naughty

A vacant room with green-colored walls. | AlexeyVS/iStock

The word naughty is linked to nought and initially meant “to possess nothing” when it entered the language roughly 600 years ago. It later evolved to imply a lack of morals, suggesting someone was “wicked” or “depraved.” By the late Middle Ages, its meaning softened to describe someone as “mischievous” or “disobedient.”

18. Nervous

Originally, nervous meant “sinewy” or “muscular,” implying strength and vigor. In the 15th century, a nervous person was someone visibly strong and powerful. Over time, the term shifted to describe conditions affecting the nerves, and by the 1700s, it came to mean feeling or appearing anxious or excitable.

19. Nice

A man in a vest and tie shrugging. | BarnabyChambers/iStock

The word nice originates from the Latin nescius, meaning “ignorant” or “unknowing.” When it entered English from French in the 14th century, it carried this same meaning. Over time, nice took on a variety of meanings, including “wanton,” “ostentatious,” “shy,” and “dainty,” before settling on its current positive sense in the early 1700s.

20. Punk

The origin of punk is unclear, but its earliest use in English referred to a prostitute, as seen in Shakespeare’s Measure For Measure. Over time, it gathered negative connotations, eventually referring to petty criminals or their associates around 1900, and later to outcasts or inexperienced individuals in the 1920s and '30s.

21. Queen

A detailed view of a sparkling tiara. | emswope/iStock

The term queen originally served as a general term for a woman or wife. Its meaning later narrowed to “the wife of a king” during the Old English period, a definition that has remained consistent ever since.

22. RIVAL

The word rival shares its origin with terms like river and rivulet. Initially, in the early 15th century, it simply referred to a riverbank or shoreline. The modern meaning of “competitor” likely stems from fishermen vying for the best fishing spots. In Latin, rivalis described someone living on the opposite side of a river.

23. Speechless

An empty dialogue bubble. | mrPliskin/iStock

In Old English, speechless referred to someone who was permanently mute or physically incapable of speaking. The metaphorical meaning of being “stunned into silence” appeared during the Middle English period, likely introduced by Geoffrey Chaucer.

24. Thrill

Originally, to thrill meant “to pierce a hole in something”—etymologically, your nostrils are your “nose-thrills.” The modern sense of “excite” or “deeply affect” emerged in the 1500s, possibly influenced by Shakespeare, suggesting that something “thrilling” has a profound impact.

25. Volatile

A Canadian Goose landing on water. | fungirlslim/iStock

The term volatile stems from the Latin verb volare, meaning “to fly” (the same root as volleyball). Initially, it described flying creatures, especially waterfowl like ducks and geese. By the early 15th century, it took on a chemical meaning, “liable to evaporate,” and later evolved to mean “fickle” or “unpredictable” in the mid-1600s.