What Did You Call That? Quiz | Mixed 10 Questions

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. A peanut can have a nice crunchy consistency and the typical meaty taste of most nuts, and it even has "nut" as a part of its name--but it is not a nut. What is a peanut ... really?

Answer: A legume

Yes, the peanut is in the same family, botanically speaking, as the legumes. That group also contains the beans and peas. This may be the origin of the pea-nut name. It is also called the ground nut; possibly because as its pod ripens the pod grows more and more under ground.

It is also called the goober or goober pea. This is most likely an Americanized version of the word used by (then) slaves from the central African area who had called the plant/eatable pod "nguba" in their homeland.

2. Particularly in the U.S.A., one brightly colored insect is commonly known as the lady bug. It is not really a bug, though. What species is it?

Answer: Beetle

Yes, the lady bug is really a beetle. Bugs and beetles may be distinguished by several characteristics. Just a few examples are: true bugs are feeders that pierce their food source and suck their nourishment in contrast to beetles that have a "chewing apparatus" that gives them the ability to "bite off" pieces of their food source. Beetles' reproductive cycle includes a larvae or pupae stage, while bugs lay eggs that hatch in "mini" adults. Beetles' wings cover their back and meet in a straight line down the middle of the back when closed.

The bugs' wings cover their back by meeting in a rather cross hatch overlap.

3. In the U.S.A., people often enjoy a tasty treat called shortbread that is made of sugar, butter and flour, which is most commonly baked without leavening. It is not, however, a bread. What is it?

Answer: A cookie

Shortbread has a rich history in the UK (where it is usually called a biscuit), and even today some brands are considered expensive and/or to be saved for special occasions. It is not the same baked item as shortcake because shortcake, typically, would be baked - as most cakes are - using a leavening agent. No matter what it is called, this delicious dessert is NOT for the calorie conscious consumer.

4. Have you ever bumped your elbow and exclaimed, "Ooooo, I hit my funny bone?" The human skeleton has no "funny bone" within its configuration, so what is this area we call the "funny bone"?

Answer: A nerve

It is the ulnar nerve that causes the pain and/or tingling sensations you may feel in your forearm, or as far from the elbow as the fingers. This nerve is located near the elbow joint where most people have very little fatty tissue to cushion the spot, thus, it can be somewhat easily bothered. Thanks to the website About.com Orthopedics for this succinct description: "So the funny part of the 'funny bone' is that it's not a bone at all..."

5. The lightweight, pale colored straw hat that is often called a Panama hat is indeed a hat, but its origin is not Panama. Where were these popular head coverings originally made?

Answer: Ecuador

What we now call the Panama hat was originally made from a palm-like plant indigenous to Ecuador. In fact, the plant used to make these hats is called the toquilla palm. It is NOT, however, a palm plant but categorized as a monocot plant - more closely related to orchids, grains and bamboos. Most sources credit this familiar term (Panama hat) for the wide-brimmed hat to have begun with its peak of popularity coinciding with building and opening of the Panama Canal, and to the widespread notice of (then) U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt wearing one of the hats as he visited the new canal.

6. This novelty item was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It was amazing at best and entertaining at the very least. The Mexican jumping bean could be quite mesmerizing. Though commonly called "bean", it is not a bean. What is it?

Answer: A seed pod

It might be rather unsavory to think those "beans" that became active only by slightly elevating the temperature around them were encasing a live moth larvae. Oooh! The seed pod is from a flowering plant native to Mexico - that part of the name is no misnomer.

A moth lays eggs on the plant; eggs hatch to larvae which eat into the seed pod, seeking food and shelter. A rise in the temperature surrounding the seed pod causes the moth larvae to shift and the "bean" to "jump". Though their popularity as a novelty has waned, there are still occasional references to them and situational comedy routines incorporating them into scenarios even in the 21st century.

7. A tasty entr�e that can include a plethora of meats and vegetables is often prepared on a griddle and more than likely "made to order" by the customer selecting the ingredients to be grilled. What is this cuisine, commonly known by a country that does NOT accurately reflect its origin, and a preparation process that, too, is not entirely correct?

Answer: Mongolian barbecue

Mongolian barbecue has enjoyed a lot of popularity - particularly in America. In spite of sentimental and self-promoting attempts to tie the origins of the dish to Mongolia (even spinning tales of Genghis Khan and his warriors cooking similarly), it is definitely not of Mongolian origin.

More creditable sources give the nod to Japan for the beginnings of this flavorful stir-fried dish. Food purists would never refer to something cooked on a griddle as "barbecued", but the popular name remains.

8. The artichoke is a plant native to the Mediterranean area. It is a member of the thistle family whose flowers and stems are considered flavorful when eaten. Another similarly named item is the Jerusalem artichoke. What part of it do people (usually) eat?

Answer: The root

Although the Jerusalem artichoke is called what it is, the plant is NOT from Jerusalem and it is NOT an artichoke. Nor is it closely related to the artichoke.

9. During the early part of the 21st century, pop culture once again embraced an appreciation for the elegant and entertaining aspects of ballroom dancing. One such lovely and well-liked dance is the foxtrot. How did it get its name?

Answer: A vaudeville actor named Harry Fox first made the dance popular

The dance has nothing to reflect the well-known four-legged, furry animal. Nor are performers expected to trot. Instead, one popular and widely accepted history of the dance, the Foxtrot, does credit actor Harry Fox with being the first to exhibit a quick or trotting routine of footwork to primarily Ragtime music.

Other versions of its beginnings also mention its roots and differences with dances that were called the Bunny Hop and/or the Kangaroo Hop. Many other popular dances can trace their own origins to the Foxtrot.

10. Worldwide we may not see a lettuce shark every day, but it is a very interesting animal. It is NOT, however, a shark. What is a lettuce shark?

Answer: A moth

The lettuce shark is a moth native to Europe and (to a lesser degree) other surrounding areas. Its name comes from a combination of its food source (during its caterpillar stage it feeds primarily on lettuce and/or similar plants) and on its appearance as an adult moth (it has long and narrow wings which create a streamlined shark-like shape when the moth is at rest with wings folded).

Source: Author cowboybluedog

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Pagiedamon before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

What Did You Call That? Trivia Quiz

Each question in this quiz will be about something that is not actually what it is commonly called. I just bet you have said some - if not all - of these misnomers without even thinking about it.

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