Are you intrigued by the meaning and origin of words and idioms in English, particularly the less familiar or quirky ones?

If so, you may like to join this group which started in July 2024. We meet on the first Wednesday of each month for an hour and a half in central Bath, to share and discuss examples of words and idioms which catch our interest, which group members have researched. We prefer to have a free choice, but occasionally pick a specific theme, like the Christmas/winter season, or the origin of British pub names. No particular knowledge of "etymology" is required, atlhough anyone with some expertise will always be welcome.

Apart from various books on etymology, the Internet is a very fruitful source of information, including words and phrases on which there is some disagreement! We take it in turns to contribute a word or idiom, and what makes it so fascinating is that this never fails to prompt  discussion, with one point leading to another.

Here are examples of the record kept of each session, to make it easier to follow up individually something which catches our interest:

April 2026 Meeting	January 2026 Meeting	November 2025 Meeting
June 2025 Meeting	April 2025 Meeting	December 2024 Meeting

There is a parallel group running on the third Monday of each month, which you can opt to join as well, or instead, space permitting.

We  welcome enquiries from interested members. If you'd like more information, u3a members can contact us via the Enquiry link at the top of this page. Non-members should contact the Groups Advisers for more information.