Etymythologies are etymologies that are not factually true but remain popular nonetheless. "[They're] like family anecdotes," writes Ben MacIntyre for the Times. "They may not literally be true; indeed, they may not be true at all; yet they contain a deeper kind of truth." Click here to read MacIntyre's entire article and disabuse yourself of any etymythological confusion regarding the phrase "rule of thumb ," as well as words with fancifully fictitious origins including "marmalade " and "OK ."