"From George Washington's first presidential "administration" to Donald Trump's promises to cut taxes "bigly," U.S. presidents have played a big role in shaping the direction of the country, including the words we use to talk about everything from national politics to everyday objects and actions."
"George Washington was not just the first U.S. president. He was also the first to use the term "administration" to apply to a president's term in office, and an early user of the more pedestrian word "indoors." An even more prolific inventor of new words was Thomas Jefferson; he's credited with more than a hundred new terms, including "electioneering," "indecipherable," "odometer," and "belittle." Other Presidents also left an enduring mark: John Adams gave us "caucus"; from John Quincy Adams we get "gag rule"; and from Zachary Taylor we have "First Lady.""
"Even the term "founding father" itself was coined by a president, though it was Warren G. Harding, in the early 1920s, not one of the founding fathers. Harding, a prolific talker, also popularized the word "bloviate" and introduced us to "normalcy.""
U.S. presidents have coined and popularized numerous words and phrases that entered American English. George Washington introduced "administration" for a presidential term and used common terms like "indoors." Thomas Jefferson is credited with over a hundred new words, including "electioneering," "indecipherable," "odometer," and "belittle." Other presidents contributed terms such as "caucus," "gag rule," and "First Lady." Warren G. Harding coined "founding father," popularized "bloviate," and introduced "normalcy." Theodore Roosevelt spread colorful expressions like "muckraker," "bully pulpit," and "loose cannon." New words continue to emerge through long-standing linguistic processes and often meet skepticism regardless of their originators.
Read at Psychology Today
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