apartheid – From Dutch apart, “separate,” and -heid, “-hood,” it is pronounced uh-PAHR-tayt or uh-PAHR-tight. More…
chaperone, chaperon – Chaperone comes from French chaperon, meaning “hood” or “cowl, head covering,” which was worn from the 16th century by ladies who served as guides and guardians; chaperon is the standard spelling and chaperone is a variant resulting from pronunciation. More…
cobra – From Portuguese cobra de capello, “snake with hood”—based on Latin colubra, “snake.” More…
hood – Etymologically, hood and hat are the same word, ultimately both meaning “head-covering.” More…