Jess Zafarris
@jesszafarris.bsky.social
Author of USELESS ETYMOLOGY, WORDS FROM HELL, and ONCE UPON A WORD. Podcaster/cohost, Words Unravelled. Editor-at-Large, Ragan + PR Daily. Adjunct prof at Emerson. Speaker, content director, social pro, ad world wordsmith. https://linktr.ee/JessZafarris
Had a lovely time speaking at Chatham Bookstore in Chatham, NY, this past weekend! The yarn shop next door (accessed via secret passage!) had a cozy space where I was able to present to a lovely crowd.
November 11, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Had a lovely time speaking at Chatham Bookstore in Chatham, NY, this past weekend! The yarn shop next door (accessed via secret passage!) had a cozy space where I was able to present to a lovely crowd.
Ok last one but she is serving looks left and right today 🔥 🍁
November 7, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Ok last one but she is serving looks left and right today 🔥 🍁
She rocks my world. 🪨
November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
She rocks my world. 🪨
There just aren’t words for how much I love this gorgeous little girlie.
November 7, 2025 at 6:55 PM
There just aren’t words for how much I love this gorgeous little girlie.
Every time Nazis try to use Tolkien to justify white supremacy, I like to float this 1941 letter in which Tolkien called Hitler a "ruddy little ignoramus" and accused him of "ruining, perverting, misapplying, and making for ever accursed" the spirit of the cultures upon which he based his works.
November 7, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Every time Nazis try to use Tolkien to justify white supremacy, I like to float this 1941 letter in which Tolkien called Hitler a "ruddy little ignoramus" and accused him of "ruining, perverting, misapplying, and making for ever accursed" the spirit of the cultures upon which he based his works.
30 seconds later
November 6, 2025 at 3:40 PM
30 seconds later
“I’ve been playing hard for hours, and I’m about to fall asleep, but it’s still tragic that no one is playing with me right now.”
November 6, 2025 at 3:35 PM
“I’ve been playing hard for hours, and I’m about to fall asleep, but it’s still tragic that no one is playing with me right now.”
Hey, it's almost time for another book event! If you're in Hudson Valley, join me on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Chatham Bookstore in Chatham, NY! I'll talk about words, sign some books, and we'll have a fine ol' time.
RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/useless-et...
RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/useless-et...
November 5, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Hey, it's almost time for another book event! If you're in Hudson Valley, join me on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Chatham Bookstore in Chatham, NY! I'll talk about words, sign some books, and we'll have a fine ol' time.
RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/useless-et...
RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/useless-et...
I’ve started taking Fable on my daily excursions around the neighborhood, carrying her some of the time but still giving her a chance to get used to leash walking and outdoor exploration. She’s doing great!
November 4, 2025 at 8:43 PM
I’ve started taking Fable on my daily excursions around the neighborhood, carrying her some of the time but still giving her a chance to get used to leash walking and outdoor exploration. She’s doing great!
The word "forebear" is stupid and funny because it makes you want to say "forebearers."
But the -er is already there. It's really fore + "be-er," someone who "is."
The spelling, from the 15th c., is probably modeled after "bear" (carry/birth), but it's ultimately unrelated to that sort of bearing.
But the -er is already there. It's really fore + "be-er," someone who "is."
The spelling, from the 15th c., is probably modeled after "bear" (carry/birth), but it's ultimately unrelated to that sort of bearing.
November 3, 2025 at 9:49 PM
The word "forebear" is stupid and funny because it makes you want to say "forebearers."
But the -er is already there. It's really fore + "be-er," someone who "is."
The spelling, from the 15th c., is probably modeled after "bear" (carry/birth), but it's ultimately unrelated to that sort of bearing.
But the -er is already there. It's really fore + "be-er," someone who "is."
The spelling, from the 15th c., is probably modeled after "bear" (carry/birth), but it's ultimately unrelated to that sort of bearing.
Should’ve seen that coming. (She’s fine.)
November 3, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Should’ve seen that coming. (She’s fine.)
Last week, hubby spent 11 hours smoking an incredible 7-pound brisket. We ate a couple of pounds of it and vacuum sealed the rest. This week, I took one pound of it, made it into chili, and spent 8 hours smoking it. 🔥
November 2, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Last week, hubby spent 11 hours smoking an incredible 7-pound brisket. We ate a couple of pounds of it and vacuum sealed the rest. This week, I took one pound of it, made it into chili, and spent 8 hours smoking it. 🔥
We saw the aurora on the way home too 😍
November 2, 2025 at 3:41 PM
We saw the aurora on the way home too 😍
Major thanks to the folks at @northshirebooks.bsky.social in Manchester VT for the wonderful experience, and for welcoming Fable! And thanks to my BSky friend @jugglinggiraffe.bsky.social for attending!
November 2, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Major thanks to the folks at @northshirebooks.bsky.social in Manchester VT for the wonderful experience, and for welcoming Fable! And thanks to my BSky friend @jugglinggiraffe.bsky.social for attending!
Went to an invite-only TikTok creator event tonight. The highlight was definitely winning a pair of classic Windows-themed Crocs—though I did meet some other brilliant creators and had some good conversations, and the hors d'oeuvres were great (iykyk).
October 29, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Went to an invite-only TikTok creator event tonight. The highlight was definitely winning a pair of classic Windows-themed Crocs—though I did meet some other brilliant creators and had some good conversations, and the hors d'oeuvres were great (iykyk).
Next book event coming up soon!
At 6 pm on Saturday, Nov. 1, I’ll be speaking at Northshire Books in Manchester, VT.
More details here: www.northshire.com/event/norths...
At 6 pm on Saturday, Nov. 1, I’ll be speaking at Northshire Books in Manchester, VT.
More details here: www.northshire.com/event/norths...
October 28, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Next book event coming up soon!
At 6 pm on Saturday, Nov. 1, I’ll be speaking at Northshire Books in Manchester, VT.
More details here: www.northshire.com/event/norths...
At 6 pm on Saturday, Nov. 1, I’ll be speaking at Northshire Books in Manchester, VT.
More details here: www.northshire.com/event/norths...
This is progress
October 27, 2025 at 2:57 PM
This is progress
A wonderful, curious, and lively crowd, including a couple of my former students, joined me at @portersqbooks.bsky.social books this week for an immensely fun conversation with my friend (and the editor who acquired Useless Etymology), Professor Sarah Cole. 🩵
October 25, 2025 at 3:25 PM
A wonderful, curious, and lively crowd, including a couple of my former students, joined me at @portersqbooks.bsky.social books this week for an immensely fun conversation with my friend (and the editor who acquired Useless Etymology), Professor Sarah Cole. 🩵
Posted this poem at the beginning of this week, and guess what I found when I arrived at the Kent Memorial Library to give a talk?
How serendipitous! Lovely crowd in a cozy environment.
How serendipitous! Lovely crowd in a cozy environment.
October 24, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Posted this poem at the beginning of this week, and guess what I found when I arrived at the Kent Memorial Library to give a talk?
How serendipitous! Lovely crowd in a cozy environment.
How serendipitous! Lovely crowd in a cozy environment.
Arrived at Porter Square Books Cambridge ahead of my talk tonight!
If you can’t make it in person, you can livestream it at 7pm ET here:
www.crowdcast.io/c/uselesseym...
If you can’t make it in person, you can livestream it at 7pm ET here:
www.crowdcast.io/c/uselesseym...
October 22, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Arrived at Porter Square Books Cambridge ahead of my talk tonight!
If you can’t make it in person, you can livestream it at 7pm ET here:
www.crowdcast.io/c/uselesseym...
If you can’t make it in person, you can livestream it at 7pm ET here:
www.crowdcast.io/c/uselesseym...
I would recommend reading Stefan Fatsis’ new book Unabridged! It’s beautifully written and addresses the history and future of the dictionary.
October 22, 2025 at 12:19 PM
I would recommend reading Stefan Fatsis’ new book Unabridged! It’s beautifully written and addresses the history and future of the dictionary.
Book tour details! And RSVP/livestream links are in my linktree in my bio.
October 22, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Book tour details! And RSVP/livestream links are in my linktree in my bio.
I'm speaking tomorrow at @portersqbooks.bsky.social in Cambridge MA (and livestreamed online!) in conversation with Professor Sarah Cole, my former acquisitions editor at John Murray Press without whom Useless Etymology would not exist. We'll talk word origins, publishing, creative process and more.
October 21, 2025 at 6:57 PM
I'm speaking tomorrow at @portersqbooks.bsky.social in Cambridge MA (and livestreamed online!) in conversation with Professor Sarah Cole, my former acquisitions editor at John Murray Press without whom Useless Etymology would not exist. We'll talk word origins, publishing, creative process and more.
Cardboard boxes are great. You can put your toys in them, punch little tooth holes in them, dig and burrow in them, scheme and plot apocalyptic chaos in them.
October 21, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Cardboard boxes are great. You can put your toys in them, punch little tooth holes in them, dig and burrow in them, scheme and plot apocalyptic chaos in them.
Carrying this little gem in my heart as I set out on a week of authorly happenings. 🩵
October 20, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Carrying this little gem in my heart as I set out on a week of authorly happenings. 🩵