Jess Zafarris, the creator of Useless Etymology, is the author of the books USELESS ETYMOLOGY (Chambers 2025), WORDS FROM HELL (Chambers 2023), and ONCE UPON A WORD (Rockridge Press 2020). She has also contributed to and penned books about TTRPGs, and written a horror novella.

Etymology Books

About Useless Etymology

Did you know that an “astronaut” is literally a “star sailor,” that a thesaurus is, in fact, a “treasure trove” of words, and that someone who is “sinister” is actually just “left-handed”? Have you ever wondered why English isn’t considered a Romance language if 60% of our words are Latin-derived? Did Shakespeare really invent 1,700 words, and if not, why the heck do we say that he did? Why is the English language stuffed with so many synonyms?

English can seem pretty bonkers. And, well, sometimes it is. But through thorough thought and a pinch of curiosity, method can be found within the madness of our modern tongue-even within the disparate pronunciation of the words “through,” “thorough,” and “thought.”
  
English contains multitudes. It has been (and continues to be) transformed by war and conquest, art and literature, science and technology, love and hate, wit and whim.
  
Useless Etymology takes readers on a time-traveling adventure to unlock the beauty, wonder, and absurdity within our everyday words, how they came to be, and the unexpected ways their origins weave a global, cross-cultural labyrinth of meaning. Filled with fun facts and delightful discoveries, this is an enlightening read for anyone who wants to know more about why the English language works the way that it does.

Preorder your copy: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Bookshop.org

About Words from Hell

The English language is where words go to be tortured and mutilated into unrecognizable shadows of their former selves. It’s where Latin, Greek, and Germanic roots are shredded apart and stitched unceremoniously back together with misunderstood snippets of languages snatched from the wreckage of conquest and colonialism. It wreaks havoc upon grammar and spelling. It turns clinical terms into insults. It turns children’s tales into filthy euphemisms. It’s sexist, racist, ableist and every kind of -phobic you can name.

Facing these terrors with rabid curiosity, this book, published by Chambers, goes where no etymology book has dared go before, exposing that sordid past, from bodily functions to the dirtiest insults, from war and weaponry to illicit substances.

This is an accessible, entertaining, and informative collection of etymology stories appropriate only for adults—though maturity is optional. If it’s inappropriate, stomach-churning, uncomfortable, or offensive, this book reaches into the dark recesses of its history and exposes them for all to see.

Get your copy: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Bookshop.org

About Once Upon a Word

It’s targeted at kids ages 9-13, but any word enthusiast can learn something from it, including fun facts about language and the origins of words from “adventure” and “alchemy” to “synonym” and “unanimous.” It also contains lovely illustrations by Marco Marella, including an incredible language tree. Read more about it below.

Order from: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • IndieBound

Where do words come from?―Learning new words by understanding their stories

This unique dictionary for kids includes:

• Roots & branches―Learn about the building blocks that make up words, called roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
• Kid-friendly definitions―Look up definitions designed for your reading level in this dictionary for kids.
• Word snack―Find out where your favorite food words got their start, from bacon to marshmallow, spaghetti, yogurt, and beyond.

See how the English language evolved―from its beginnings to today―with this colorful dictionary for kids.

The Game Master’s Book of Legendary Locations (Contributor)

Order from: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Bookshop.org

Candle Hills | A Horror Novella

A horror story that began as a Twitter thread was transformed into a graphic eBook by Hachette’s Novel Suspects and offered for free to those who purchased WORDS FROM HELL.