Curious names for things that don't quite fit

Strawberries are not berries (and, shockingly, neither are blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries). True berries are produced through a single ovary. Instead, strawberries and the like are actually called accessory fruits. What about real berries? Well, a few examples include grapes, pumpkins, and...bananas.

2 / 30 Fotos

Koala bears -

These adorable animals are not bears. They are, in fact, marsupials.

3 / 30 Fotos

Jellyfish -

These beautiful sea creatures are not actually a species of fish. Instead, they're cnidarians, just like coral and sea anemones.

4 / 30 Fotos

Peanuts -

You might know this one already, but peanuts are not nuts. They are actually legumes, like peas and beans.

5 / 30 Fotos

Driveways/parkways -

Shouldn't a "driveway" be a place where you drive, and a "parkway" a place where you park? Food for thought.

6 / 30 Fotos

Guinea pigs -

If case you haven't noticed, these cute little rodents aren't actually pigs. In fact, they're closely related to capybaras.

7 / 30 Fotos

White chocolate -

There aren't any cocoa solids from cacao beans in white chocolate, only cocoa butter, so one could argue that, technically, it is not chocolate.

8 / 30 Fotos

Starfish -

These are indeed star-shaped and live in the sea, but they are definitely not fish. Instead, they are echinoderms.

9 / 30 Fotos

Red pandas -

This animal is not actually related to the giant panda. This arboreal mammal is actually more closely related to raccoons, skunks, and weasels.

10 / 30 Fotos

Funny bone -

Chances are you've probably hit your elbow a couple of times and felt a sharp pain and numbness. The exact place you hit it was not a bone, but the ulnar nerve.

11 / 30 Fotos

Butterflies -

This beautiful insect is not a fly, and it's definitely not made of butter. The name originates from the Old English buterflēoge (meaning "butter") and flēoge (meaning "fly"). Why they went with this word no one knows for sure.

12 / 30 Fotos

Tin foil -

You have probably noticed that these are not made of tin. After all, aluminum replaced tin in 1910.

13 / 30 Fotos

Coconuts -

Coconuts are not nuts. They are actually a type of fruit called drupes, just like coffee beans and olives.

14 / 30 Fotos

Ladybugs -

The "lady" part of the name is actually an allusion to the Virgin Mary. Though some of these cute beetles are actually male.

15 / 30 Fotos

Cat burglar -

This is not actually a burglar who steals cats. Instead, it refers to a burglar who can go undetected.

16 / 30 Fotos

Coat of arms -

"Put on your coat of arms and you will be ready for battle," said no military commander, ever. These are just symbolic emblems.

17 / 30 Fotos

Buffalo wings -

Buffalos don't have wings, so how can this be? Well, these popular deep-fried chicken wings actually got their name from the city of Buffalo, New York, not the animal.

18 / 30 Fotos

English horns -

English horns (or the cor anglais) are not originally from England, nor are they actual horns. These are woodwind instruments of the oboe family, and come from Poland.

19 / 30 Fotos

Horned toad -

Sure they have tiny horns, but these animals are definitely not toads. They are, quite obviously, lizards.

20 / 30 Fotos

Panama hat -

Panama hats actually come from Ecuador. The name became popular after President Theodore Roosevelt was seen wearing one during his visit to the construction site of the Panama Canal.

21 / 30 Fotos

Glowworms -

Glowworms are not worms. They are actually insect larvae that glow through bioluminescence.

22 / 30 Fotos

Chinese checkers -

This game is not a form of checkers, and it didn't originate in China either. It was actually invented in Germany in 1892.

23 / 30 Fotos

Arabic numerals -

The numbers most of us use did not actually come from the Arabian Peninsula. Instead, they were invented in India. They were, however, introduced to Europe by Arabian mathematicians, hence the name.

24 / 30 Fotos

Bombay duck -

Can you see a duck in this picture? Well, that's because the Bombay duck is actually a fish.

25 / 30 Fotos

Catgut -

This type of cord is made of a fiber found in animals' intestines, but most usually of sheep or goats—not cats!

26 / 30 Fotos

Velvet ants -

Despite the name, these are actually wasps, not ants. The name derives from the fact that wingless females look like hairy ants.

27 / 30 Fotos

Slow worms -

These resemble more so a snake than a worm, but are in fact neither. These reptiles are actually legless lizards.

28 / 30 Fotos

Titmouse -

It goes without saying that the titmouse is not actually a mouse. It's pretty clear that it's a bird.

Sources: (BuzzFeed) (Merriam-Webster) (Mental Floss)

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Fireflies -

Fireflies are not flies, nor do they have the capacity to make fire. They are actually beetles.

Shutterstock

1 / 30 Fotos

Strawberries -

Shutterstock

2 / 30 Fotos

Koala bears -

These adorable animals are not bears. They are, in fact, marsupials.

Shutterstock

3 / 30 Fotos

Jellyfish -

These beautiful sea creatures are not actually a species of fish. Instead, they're cnidarians, just like coral and sea anemones.

Shutterstock

4 / 30 Fotos

Peanuts -

You might know this one already, but peanuts are not nuts. They are actually legumes, like peas and beans.

Shutterstock

5 / 30 Fotos

Driveways/parkways -

Shouldn't a "driveway" be a place where you drive, and a "parkway" a place where you park? Food for thought.

Shutterstock

6 / 30 Fotos

Guinea pigs -

If case you haven't noticed, these cute little rodents aren't actually pigs. In fact, they're closely related to capybaras.

Shutterstock

7 / 30 Fotos

White chocolate -

There aren't any cocoa solids from cacao beans in white chocolate, only cocoa butter, so one could argue that, technically, it is not chocolate.

Shutterstock

8 / 30 Fotos

Starfish -

These are indeed star-shaped and live in the sea, but they are definitely not fish. Instead, they are echinoderms.

Shutterstock

9 / 30 Fotos

Red pandas -

This animal is not actually related to the giant panda. This arboreal mammal is actually more closely related to raccoons, skunks, and weasels.

Shutterstock

10 / 30 Fotos

Funny bone -

Chances are you've probably hit your elbow a couple of times and felt a sharp pain and numbness. The exact place you hit it was not a bone, but the ulnar nerve.

Shutterstock

11 / 30 Fotos

Butterflies -

Shutterstock

12 / 30 Fotos

Tin foil -

You have probably noticed that these are not made of tin. After all, aluminum replaced tin in 1910.

Shutterstock

13 / 30 Fotos

Coconuts -

Coconuts are not nuts. They are actually a type of fruit called drupes, just like coffee beans and olives.

Shutterstock

14 / 30 Fotos

Ladybugs -

The "lady" part of the name is actually an allusion to the Virgin Mary. Though some of these cute beetles are actually male.

Shutterstock

15 / 30 Fotos

Cat burglar -

This is not actually a burglar who steals cats. Instead, it refers to a burglar who can go undetected.

Shutterstock

16 / 30 Fotos

Coat of arms -

"Put on your coat of arms and you will be ready for battle," said no military commander, ever. These are just symbolic emblems.

Shutterstock

17 / 30 Fotos

Buffalo wings -

Buffalos don't have wings, so how can this be? Well, these popular deep-fried chicken wings actually got their name from the city of Buffalo, New York, not the animal.

Shutterstock

18 / 30 Fotos

English horns -

English horns (or the cor anglais) are not originally from England, nor are they actual horns. These are woodwind instruments of the oboe family, and come from Poland.

Shutterstock

19 / 30 Fotos

Horned toad -

Sure they have tiny horns, but these animals are definitely not toads. They are, quite obviously, lizards.

Shutterstock

20 / 30 Fotos

Panama hat -

Panama hats actually come from Ecuador. The name became popular after President Theodore Roosevelt was seen wearing one during his visit to the construction site of the Panama Canal.

Getty Images

21 / 30 Fotos

Glowworms -

Glowworms are not worms. They are actually insect larvae that glow through bioluminescence.

Shutterstock

22 / 30 Fotos

Chinese checkers -

This game is not a form of checkers, and it didn't originate in China either. It was actually invented in Germany in 1892.

Shutterstock

23 / 30 Fotos

Arabic numerals -

The numbers most of us use did not actually come from the Arabian Peninsula. Instead, they were invented in India. They were, however, introduced to Europe by Arabian mathematicians, hence the name.

Shutterstock

24 / 30 Fotos

Bombay duck -

Can you see a duck in this picture? Well, that's because the Bombay duck is actually a fish.

Shutterstock

25 / 30 Fotos

Catgut -

This type of cord is made of a fiber found in animals' intestines, but most usually of sheep or goats—not cats!

Shutterstock

26 / 30 Fotos

Velvet ants -

Despite the name, these are actually wasps, not ants. The name derives from the fact that wingless females look like hairy ants.

Shutterstock

27 / 30 Fotos

Slow worms -

These resemble more so a snake than a worm, but are in fact neither. These reptiles are actually legless lizards.

Shutterstock

28 / 30 Fotos

Titmouse -

It goes without saying that the titmouse is not actually a mouse. It's pretty clear that it's a bird.

Sources: (BuzzFeed) (Merriam-Webster) (Mental Floss)

Shutterstock

29 / 30 Fotos

Curious names for things that don't quite fit

When a berry is not actually a berry

07/11/24 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Language

The English language if full of misnomers, or names that are inaccurate in describing something. Some of these date back to Old English words, but others do remain a mystery to this day. Many of us are familiar with some of these. For instance, the fact that peanuts are not actually nuts. But there are more—a lot more.

Click through the following gallery and discover the most curious misnomers in the English language.