The Why of Words
#15: Torpedo β Named After an Electric Fish That Stuns Its Prey
Apr 24, 2026
Season 1
Episode 15
Discover the surprisingly weird origin of the word 'torpedo'βit didn't start as a weapon, but as the name of a deadly electric ray. This episode traces how a fish from the Mediterranean became the term for modern underwater missiles, revealing the unexpected path of linguistic evolution.
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