Word origins | How "news" got its name
It's a clever idea that makes a good story — "news" standing for North, East, West, and South, as if information comes from all directions. But like many great stories about word origins, this one isn't actually true. A bummer, right?
The word "news" comes from the French word "nouvelles," which refers to "new things." So while the compass direction story sounds smart, the real meaning is much simpler — it's just about telling people what's new.
When English borrowed this word in the 14th century (spelling it as "newes"), its definition stayed the same. And this idea of "news" carried over into another familiar word, "newspaper," which originally started as two separate words: "news paper." Quite literally, a paper reporting current events.
We use "news" in a lot of everyday expressions. Here are some of the most common ones:
Used for urgent updates about something happening right now.
"Breaking news: A major storm is heading toward the coast."
"The channel cut to breaking news about the election results."
A simple way to introduce something positive or negative.
"I have good news — you got the job!"
"The bad news is our flight got delayed."
If you haven't heard anything, it probably means everything is fine.
"I haven't heard from the doctor yet, but no news is good news."
"We haven't gotten an update on the project, but let's hope no news is good news."
Refers to false or misleading information, often spread as if it were real.
"Be careful what you read online — there's a lot of fake news out there."
"Fake news? No, just another day of parenting gone wrong."
While the compass direction story is creative, it's just a popular myth that's been passed around — busted! The real origin might be less exciting, but at least now you know where the word actually comes from.
Want to learn more about English words and their origins? Check out our Daily Dose of Denglisch Docs.
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