TIL that the word "silhouette" was just a guy's name (and he had nothing to do with silhouettes)
TIL that the word "silhouette" was just a guy's name (and he had nothing to do with silhouettes)
Apparently he was an advocate for financial austerity, so his name became connected with cheap or discount things. A silhouette was an affordable type of portrait.
A lot of common words come from people's names. Guillotine, shrapnel, stent, just to name a few.
frontflip
Backflip
Sir John Henry Penis-pump
daguerreotype, mesmerizing
Gasoline and diesel too apparently.