# Need examples of things that aren't what their name implies **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432 "2011-05-27T15:14:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/21 "2011-05-27T16:50:54Z")
Cream of tartar. (Unless there’s a an alternate meaning of the word “cream” that I’m missing?) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/22 "2011-05-27T16:53:59Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > Sweetbreads (thymus and pancreas) are certainly not bread and are not very sweet. > > ETA: Damn it. Beaten to the punch again. And sweetmeats are sweet but hopefully do not contain meat. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/23 "2011-05-27T16:54:56Z")
> [@what\_do\_I\_type\_here](#): > > Mincemeat pie apprently has no meat in it. Well, mincemeat did always used to include meat, and now properly includes beef suet, which could be considered meat in a sense. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/24 "2011-05-27T16:55:26Z")
steak house Hot Plate ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/25 "2011-05-27T16:56:10Z")
> [@what\_do\_I\_type\_here](#): > > Mincemeat pie apprently has no meat in it. Usually true, but not always. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/26 "2011-05-27T16:57:56Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The Holy Roman Empire did not include the city of Rome through most of its existence. The usual joke is that it was was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire. Sea lions are not lions (neither are ant lions). Sea cucumbers are not cucumbers (or even vegetables). Actually there is a whole bunch of sea \_\_ things: anenomes, hares… A soap opera is not an opera, and rarely involves soap. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/27 "2011-05-27T16:59:45Z")
Pocketbook Notebook English muffin Lead (in pencil) Keyboard Mouse ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/28 "2011-05-27T17:02:24Z")
Cheesecake is actually pie. When come back, bring cheesecake. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/29 "2011-05-27T17:04:28Z")
Military intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/30 "2011-05-27T17:05:48Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > English muffin This opens the door too dozens if not scores of geographically-incorrect foodstuff names. Just to name a few: Hollandaise sauce is French. Philadelphia cream cheese was invented in New York City. Texas Pete is made in North Carolina. Chicken Kiev has nothing to do with Kiev. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/31 "2011-05-27T17:06:03Z")
Picadilly Circus (in London… is circular, but ain’t no circus) Times Square (in NY—is a triangle) ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/32 "2011-05-27T17:17:11Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Notebook > … > Keyboard I have books that I take notes in. And keys are indeed arrayed in a board before me. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/33 "2011-05-27T17:17:31Z")
> [@what\_do\_I\_type\_here](#): > > Mincemeat pie apprently has no meat in it. Nor any mints. A monk once remarked to me about the Sisters of Mercy, “They’re neither”. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/34 "2011-05-27T17:18:01Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > A “koala bear” is not a bear, but not sure how much they are called “bear” anymore. Used to be we knew panda bears weren’t really bears. Upon further analysis, they actually are. But now they’re not really pandas. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/35 "2011-05-27T17:28:59Z")
City chicken, which usually comes from pigs (or possibly calves). ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/36 "2011-05-27T17:32:36Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > One parks in a driveway, but drives on a parkway. > > Someone ought to ask Cecil why that is. I’m sure many have asked Cecil, but this was answered many times: **Drive-way** - historic usage = a lane or path from the road to the main manor or the carriage house (were you’d leave your carriage, horseless or not), as land parcels shrunk, and the carriage house morphed into a Garage (or was dispensed with altogether), well the (now much shorter) ribbon of concrete/asphalt where you drive up and park your vehicle kept it name… **Parkways** - historic again = road landscaped to give a drive-thru-a-park experience (Parkways are more or less linear parks) - I think of Fred Olmsted and his landscaping of 19th century New York, but I’m sure Parkways existed in some form way before that for the European Royalty and their carriages… ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/37 "2011-05-27T17:37:59Z")
The creatures known as fireflies, lighning bugs, or (in their larval stage) glowworms are properly neither flies, bugs, nor worms, but beetles. So are ladybugs. Mayflies, dragonflies, and butterflies are not flies. (Nor are they dragons, nor made of butter.) ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/38 "2011-05-27T17:47:13Z")
A cockroach has nothing whatsoever to do with either chickens or male genitalia. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/39 "2011-05-27T19:34:21Z")
Hot dog. Hamburger. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/40 "2011-05-27T19:46:38Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Pocketbook > English muffin English muffins are the things that are known as muffins in England (as sold by the muffin man, who lives down Drury Lane). This is a thing that is exactly what its name says it is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432.md?page=3)