Elon Gilad

How this cancerous habit got its name from flying insects plaguing the ancient Romans.

The competition was cut-throat: what to call the piano in modern Hebrew, with strong candidates from Aramaic, Latin and Italian?

Christians believe this tiny town outside of Jerusalem, which means 'House of Meat' in Arabic, was the birthplace of Jesus.

'I am the criminal who invented it,' Chaim Nachman Bialik admitted of this onomatopoeia, which originated from sound.

A forgotten Hebrew word that sounds like the English word 'mechanical' found its way into the modern Hebrew term for your car.

How the word for manna from God turned into that latter-day frozen delight, ice cream.

The beautiful flowers called pansies get their Hebrew name from one of the uglier stories of the Bible.

When it came time for one of modern Hebrew's founding fathers to come up with a name for this New World fruit, he was inspired by its racy connotations.

This word, which literally means turning into a rhino, has come to describe herd mentality.

The Hebrew word for electricity made its debut in the book of Ezekiel, in a fantastical depiction of an apparition.

After a lot of navel gazing, Hebrew settled on this word to refer to the bellybutton in daily speech. Here are the ins and outs of its journey.

The humble pencil has an illustrious naming history, from its Latin roots to its Hebrew incarnation.

The Hebrew word for 'national anthem' has ancient origins – in Greek religious songs praising pagan gods.

God showing Jonah the light after not destroying Nineveh brings us this Hebrew word for 'ephemeral.'

An ancient Hebrew term signifying utter destruction now refers to the greatest modern tragedy to befall the Jewish people.

You won't find it on a mainstream itinerary but those interested in a real look at Tel Aviv's invisible residents will find a vibrant experience waiting.

How Hebrew got an ancient word for pope that is hundreds of years older than the Latin word 'papa.'

Passing the starting line of the first Palestine Marathon, I put aside the fact that Israeli law prohibits me from attending, and that the Palestinian Authority ordered I not participate: I had to come and run.