Why is an institution of learning called a “kindergarten” or a “school” and referred to by students as their “alma mater”?
It all starts in kindergarten, a German concept meaning “children’s garden,” where the atmosphere for learning should be as pleasant for a child as being in a garden. School follows the same philosophy and is from a Greek word for leisure. When university students refer to their alma maters, they are speaking Latin for “nursing mother,” in this case one which nourishes the mind.

Why are some university graduates and most unmarried men called “bachelors”?
In the eleventh century, a bachelor was a low-ranking knight without the means to raise an army. To indicate this he flew a pointed banner, whereas a full knight had a flag without a tip. The bachelor was a junior, which is why a bachelor’s degree refers to the lowest rank from a university. Because most young men were unmarried, they began being referred to as bachelors in the fourteenth century.

Why is a religious woman who lives in a convent and vows poverty, chastity, and obedience called a “nun”?
Women who are sisters within a strict religious order today are called nuns, a word that has evolved through time to mean compassion and kindness. In Sanskrit, nana meant “mother,” and it is often still used today as an endearment for grandmothers. In Latin, nonna means “child’s nurse,” again still used in the form nanny. In Greek, nane simply meant “good.” All of these gave us the word nun to describe the strength and good intentions of the religious vocation.

Why are men and boys called “guys”?
Every November 5, the British celebrate the 1605 foiling of a plot to blow up the parliament buildings by Guy Fawkes. As part of the festivities, an effigy of Fawkes dressed in rags and old mismatched clothes was paraded through the streets and then burned on a bonfire. By 1830, any man who was badly dressed was being referred to as a “guy,” meaning he looked as disheveled as the effigy of Guy Fawkes.

Why are weather forecasters called “meteorologists”?
Meteorology became the science of forecasting weather during the fourth century B.C., when it was believed that dramatic heavenly events were the cause of everything, especially weather — and there was nothing more dramatic than the arrival of a meteor. In Greek, meteorology means “a discourse from high in the air.” Studying meteors to predict weather ended in the late seventeenth century, but weather forecasters are still known as meteorologists.