{"id":4456,"date":"2026-05-16T18:58:43","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T18:58:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4456"},"modified":"2026-05-16T19:36:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T19:36:53","slug":"adventures-in-etymology-burning-torrents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4456","title":{"rendered":"Adventures in Etymology &#8211; Burning Torrents"},"content":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Burning Torrents\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2026-05-16T18:58:43+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M20S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology we uncover the burning roots of the word torrent.\n\n\n\nTorrent [\u02c8t\u0252\u0279\u0259nt \/ \u02c8to\u0279\u0259nt] as a noun can mean a violent flow (as of water, lava, etc), a stream suddenly raised and running rapidly, or a large amount or stream of s...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.2\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_8555\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4456-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4456-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"burningtorrents.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology we uncover the burning roots of the word <strong>torrent<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/goultard\/14732311708\/in\/photolist-nxrahC-nxraEw-nvn9es-nfVpxd-nxq48r-nfVcLe-orQX1h-X1xM7W-a5thyy-2q77Pat-h1YLvN-29TZqfF-2m16APm-2nYuMfS-6E36Hc-LhcC5J-6udFJr-ZCG3J9-9WPX6a-QeNKh5-JEphxX-2pQgsxB-BZxM5J-2r6W9Xu-25wBq4L-2q1EYf5-Rh9c4-2kpLVFZ-s6MKvh-2gaq7M9-oe5fvh-2gaq1uc-2k4fWG6-NoDa64-525aJr-pyn8rf-2qrdiZy-E3zapL-oNS8L-peLoGY-CfNnUL-2hyHHEF-6rEtrF-2qrfBDb-2qreBMC-5LSyJe-R5MrZ6-2aqgkwj-VXLYV4-7eYE3K\" title=\"torrent\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/3854\/14732311708_f61885191a_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" alt=\"torrent\"\/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong>Torrent<\/strong> [\u02c8t\u0252\u0279\u0259nt \/ \u02c8to\u0279\u0259nt] as a noun can mean a violent flow (as of water, lava, etc), a stream suddenly raised and running rapidly, or a large amount or stream of something.<\/p>\n<p>As an adjective, <strong>torrent<\/strong> means rolling or rushing in a rapid stream, and as a verb it means to fall or flow in a torrent or to pour.<\/p>\n<p>It comes from French <strong>torrent<\/strong> (a torrent), from Italian <strong>torrente<\/strong> (stream, creek, torrent), from Latin <em>torrentem<\/em>, from <em>torr\u0113ns<\/em> (scorching, burning, roasting), from <em>torre\u014d<\/em> (to scorch, burn, parch, roast), from Proto-Italic <em>*torze\u014d<\/em> (to burn, scorch), from PIE <em>*tors\u00e9yeti<\/em> (to make dry), from <em>*ters-<\/em> (dry) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/torrent#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Words from the same roots include <strong>tir<\/strong> (land) in Welsh (and Cornish and Breton), <strong>tierra<\/strong> (earth, land, ground, soil) in Spanish, <strong>torr<\/strong> (dry, matter-of-fact, dull) in Swedish, <strong>turska<\/strong> (cod) in Finnish, and <strong>terrace<\/strong>, <strong>terrain<\/strong>, <strong>territory<\/strong>, <strong>thirst<\/strong>, <strong>toast<\/strong>, <strong>torrid<\/strong> in English [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/ters-\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/doc_ralph\/4048991455\/in\/photolist-7aN96v-xayxpo-8pLQ4U-aiPeg4-8pLN6b-8pHEi2-8pLPBq-aiPCSz-4QA4Jf-2rbJEBu-2qKucC8-2kGrLfC-iLREu-9hjEXq-sjPadp-DKYmof-obnwEs-6ZtYEA-5yG5KU-5LkaL9-hWHBir-2m7xnHA-2Bf89-2oNsv1x-xmx4Q7-7rWAKX-g8ykA-ctwy6C-nAa5qy-2nXKSrC-AqG9BR-2obCtop-CzR8b-PmTQTY-4YbCD5-4YbDxb-6yXZz-6yYEn-6z3ps-6z3Gb-4Y7pi4-2n7TseC-4Y7p6D-4Y7qdx-6z3yP-4YbEm3-4d3vRo-6z2a7-25TjWq5-t8C3a\" title=\"Yorkshire Terrier\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/3037\/4048991455_08541b2882_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"Yorkshire Terrier\"\/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The <strong>terrier<\/strong> dog also gets its name from the same roots via Old French <em>chien terrier<\/em> (terrier dog) from <em>chien<\/em> (dog) and <em>terrier<\/em> (of earth), from Latin <em>terra<\/em> (dry land, ground, earth), ultimately from PIE <em>*ters-<\/em> (dry)[<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/terra#Latin\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/104082864@N04\/49748006541\/in\/photolist-2iN4x9H-JhMASy-6Mm9Y9-wagsvy-82T7JU-LiNV4-a4AP7W-a4APuU-933AuK-a4AN81-pBUmK8-2mKSBPp-2juiCA6-a4y1RT-mdSQZ-2n25AmW-9a41w3-2q2Pmj6-a4xXkM-2kRDQy3-2j6rCnV-fd7pdn-t4iGig-ULjHCo-a4xYYc-5kGBHT-vbAUm-fd7pUz-fdmHxh-a4AQew-fdmJTh-9a43zN-q19BuR-28gudLj-a4y2yc-fd7ovF-fdmKBm-fd7r2T-fdmKoG-fd7qk4-2jufTV7-fdmL4N-2oFMavm-a4xY5V-F6dsoT-ztGk1z-2pURQT3-a4xXM2-5EHDh6-5EHLKi\" title=\"The Mediterranean\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/49748006541_f331c1f4fe_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"400\" alt=\"The Mediterranean\"\/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Mediterranean<\/strong> also gets part of its name from the same roots. It comes from Latin <em>mediterr\u0101neus<\/em> (inland), from <em>medius<\/em> (middle),\u200e <em>terra<\/em> (earth, land) and <em>-\u0101neus<\/em> (adjectival suffix) <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Mediterranean#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/uk\/cgi-bin\/webscr?cmd=_flow&amp;SESSION=aLjPfXL-vP_1gQ_U23Iz8_hSWLlhzLHPMFZrt32dIEfG8htoNFLYaPoWkv8&amp;dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8def8934b92a630e40b7fef61ab7e9fe63\">PayPal<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/omniglot\">Patreon<\/a>, or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/donations.htm\">contribute to Omniglot in other ways<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with <a href=\"https:\/\/blubrry.com\/services\/podcast-hosting\/?code=omniglot\">Blubrry Podcast Hosting<\/a>, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code <strong>omniglot<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.japanesepod101.com\/member\/go.php?r=759259&amp;i=b0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/images\/banners\/banner_japanesepod.jpg\" alt=\"The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com\" width=\"630\" height=\"83\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/\">Omniglot Blog<\/a>, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/\">Celtiadur<\/a> blog.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n   crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- Blog horizontal --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n   style=\"display:block\"\n   data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n   data-ad-slot=\"1685480124\"\n   data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n   data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n   (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Burning Torrents\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2026-05-16T18:58:43+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M20S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology we uncover the burning roots of the word torrent.\n\n\n\nTorrent [\u02c8t\u0252\u0279\u0259nt \/ \u02c8to\u0279\u0259nt] as a noun can mean a violent flow (as of water, lava, etc), a stream suddenly raised and running rapidly, or a large amount or stream of s...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.2\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_8556\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4456-2\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4456-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/burningtorrents.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"burningtorrents.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology we uncover the burning roots of the word torrent. Torrent [\u02c8t\u0252\u0279\u0259nt \/ \u02c8to\u0279\u0259nt] as a noun can mean a violent flow (as of water, lava, etc), a stream suddenly raised and running rapidly, or a large amount or stream of something. As an adjective, torrent means rolling or rushing in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,38,37,20,56,125,23,4,50,11,109,1,59,133,28,30,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventures-in-etymology","category-breton","category-cornish","category-english","category-etymology","category-finnish-suomi","category-french","category-language","category-latin","category-music","category-old-french-franceis","category-podcast","category-proto-indo-european","category-proto-italic","category-spanish","category-swedish","category-welsh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4456"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4456\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4461,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4456\/revisions\/4461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}