Quick Facts
- Word / Phrase
- Block
- Verdict
- MYTH ❌
- Claim Type
- Folk etymology
- First Real Record
- c. 1300, Middle English
- Real Origin
- Old French bloc → Middle Dutch blok ‘log, tree trunk’
- Myth Spread By
- Internet forums, social‑media listicles, viral trivia sites
The Claim
Across countless listicles, trivia blogs, and social‑media posts you’ll often see the claim that the English word block is simply a shortened version of the phrase “the log.” The story is usually phrased like this: “The word ‘block’ comes from ‘the log,’ because a block is literally a piece of wood, so the term is just a contraction of the older phrase.” Some websites even quote a supposed 19th‑century carpenter who allegedly said, “We called a hefty log a block, dropping the ‘the’ for brevity.” The myth gained traction around 2015 when a popular YouTube channel posted a video titled “Did ‘Block’ Really Mean ‘The Log’?” and it has since been repeated in meme‑style graphics and trivia quizzes. On the surface it sounds plausible – after all, a block is a piece of wood, and “the log” is a perfectly logical descriptive phrase.
Why It’s Wrong
1. Historical records tell a different story. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) records the earliest English appearance of the word as bloc in a 13th‑century Middle English text (c. 1300), meaning “a piece of wood, a tree trunk.” This spelling and meaning match the Old French bloc, which itself is borrowed from Middle Dutch blok – a term for a log or tree trunk. The word entered English as a loan, not as a native phrase‑contraction.
2. No evidence for the phrase “the log.” A thorough search of Middle English and Early Modern English corpora finds no instance of the exact phrase “the log” being used as a noun phrase that could be shortened to “block.” The phrase appears in later texts, but always as a literal description of a log, not as a lexical unit that could evolve into a new word.
3. Scholarly consensus. Linguists such as Anatoly Liberman and the editors of the OED agree that block is a borrowing from continental Germanic languages, not a back‑formation from an English phrase. Michael Quinion’s “World Wide Words” also dismisses the “the log” story as a modern folk etymology that emerged with the rise of internet‑borne trivia.
Because the claim post‑dates the word by several centuries and lacks any documentary support, it is classified as a myth.
The Real Etymology
The word block entered English in the late Middle Ages via Old French bloc, which meant “a piece of wood, a tree trunk, a log.” Old French borrowed the term from Middle Dutch blok, a word of uncertain origin but likely related to Proto‑Germanic *blukkaz, meaning “a stump or log.” The Germanic root is also reflected in modern German Block (a block of wood) and Swedish block (a log or piece of timber).
Early English uses of block referred specifically to a solid piece of timber, often one hewn for a particular purpose such as a building block or a printing block. By the 15th century the sense broadened to include any solid piece of material, leading to modern meanings like “a rectangular piece of stone,” “a unit of a game (e.g., a city block),” and the verb “to block” meaning “to obstruct or stop.” The semantic shift from “log” to “any solid piece” is a natural extension of the original physical sense.
While the exact path from Middle Dutch to Old French is not fully documented, the consensus among historical linguists is clear: block is a loanword describing a piece of wood, not a contraction of an English phrase. The myth that it derives from “the log” is a later invention with no basis in the linguistic record.
Why Myths Like This Spread
Folk etymologies thrive because they offer tidy, memorable stories that fit our intuition. The idea that “block” comes from “the log” is attractive: it links a common object (a wooden block) to a simple phrase, creating a neat explanatory shortcut. Such myths also benefit from the back‑formation pattern: people see a word that looks like it could be shortened (“the log” → “block”) and assume history must have followed that logic.
In the digital age, these stories spread rapidly through listicles, memes, and viral videos that promise “you won’t believe the true origin of everyday words.” The lack of easily accessible scholarly sources means readers often accept the catchy version without verification. Moreover, the myth reinforces a broader narrative that language is full of hidden, almost secret histories – a narrative that feels more exciting than the mundane reality of borrowing between languages.
Ultimately, myths like the “the log” story reveal a human desire to impose order and meaning on the chaotic evolution of language. They remind us that while language is a living, shifting system, its history is best uncovered through careful research, not appealing sound‑alike stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it true that ‘block’ means ‘the log’?
No. The word ‘block’ entered English from Old French bloc, which itself comes from Middle Dutch blok meaning a tree trunk or log. There is no historical evidence that it is a contraction of the phrase “the log.”
Where does the word ‘block’ really come from?
‘Block’ is a loanword from Old French bloc, derived from Middle Dutch blok, ultimately tracing back to a Proto‑Germanic root meaning a log or tree trunk. It first appears in Middle English around the 13th century.
When did the ‘the log’ myth start circulating?
The myth appears to have emerged online around 2015, popularized by YouTube videos and viral listicles. It does not appear in any printed etymological works before the digital age.
What is a folk etymology?
A folk etymology is a popular but inaccurate explanation for a word’s origin, often based on surface re‑analysis or appealing stories rather than scholarly evidence.
What are other famous word‑origin myths?
Common examples include the GOLF backronym “Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden,” the belief that “posh” stands for “Port Out, Starboard Home,” and the claim that “nice” comes from “NICE” (National Institute of Chemical Engineering).
Why do people believe false etymologies?
False etymologies appeal to our love of neat stories, confirm biases, and spread quickly through social media. They often sound plausible and are easier to remember than the complex reality of language borrowing.
Does the word ‘block’ ever mean ‘log’ in modern usage?
In contemporary English, ‘block’ can refer to a solid piece of wood, but this meaning derives from the original sense of a timber piece, not from a phrase “the log.” The two words are related historically but not through contraction.