# Words coined by famous people

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-coined-by-famous-people/658389>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 15, 2013, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-coined-by-famous-people/658389 "2013-05-15T10:41:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 11

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**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-coined-by-famous-people/658389/11 "2013-05-15T16:03:34Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> It occurs to me that the source of the word “quark,” when explained–mentioning the “squawk” part–is cited in nearly every lay introduction to physics and has captured the public ear like few other etymologies.
> 
> The etymology of “quark,” this permanent member of the lexicon (relatively rare in contemporary neologisms) can _only_ be elucidated using the full sentence of Joyce. I have never seen the correct etymology outside Joyce studies. Or happily figured out by non-published readers, of course.

_Quark_ is a German word, meaning milk curds. I don’t know if either Joyce or Gell-Mann knew this, bit I would not be surprised if they did. They were both language buffs.

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