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History
You Won’t Believe The Origins Of These War-related Words
We often say things without knowing their deeper meaning. Sure, I say “soldier” and you know what it means, you can either picture a soldier in your head or think of the characteristics of the idea.
But history tells a whole other story, it provides the roots and the context of why it's called that. Surely at some point, someone uttered a word and its meaning stuck, but knowing the sordid tale behind it makes it more impactful.
1. Assassin
It’s a French/Latin word, but it’s unique in that it’s originally adopted from Arabic. If you put an “h” in front of it, it resembles “hashish.”
During the Crusades, the invading Europeans have a reputation for the warriors they faced in what is now Lebanon. Allegedly, the warrior got really high before battle and was referred to as “hassassi.” Hats off to them, I congratulate anyone who can even find their shoes, let alone battle while stoned.
The word crystallized as an all-around term for “killer,” but it became more centered around a killer of someone who had political power by the Italians.
