In So Many Words and Phrases the Eyes Have It
Have you heard about the cross-eyed teacher? She couldn’t control her pupils. That pun plays on the two meanings of the word pupil. The first, “a student,” is borrowed from the Latin pupillus, “orphan, ward, minor.” The second meaning boasts a more enchanting etymology: In ancient Rome, the pupilla, “little doll,” was a diminutive of […]