They're known as man's best friends, fur babies, pooches.

But the most widely used word for these beloved animals — "dog" — is also a great linguistic mystery.

"The most everyday, commonplace words are often the most mysterious," said Colin Gorrie, a linguist who has written about the origin of "dog."

Descended from wolves, dogs were among the first animals to be domesticated, and their close bond with humans can be traced back thousands of years . Much like the animal itself, the word used to describe canines has evolved over time; "dog" only became the standard term within the past 500 years or so, according to Gorrie.

"This is a process that we see over and over again," he said. "I think what the source of it is — is the fact that dogs live with us so much and we have such an emo

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