It must have been quite a common slag word in England during World War One as well, cos the song Pack Up Your Troubles mentions it in the line: "While you've a lucifer to light your f a g...'
2007-02-13 23:26:53 · 7 answers · asked by Sassysaz 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
good question! 'lucifer' is a brand name for matches in portuguese. i like your question. when i checked out answers.com, i learned a lot. thanks!
good luck!
2007-02-13 23:33:46 · answer #1 · answered by westtexasboy 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Lucifer is a Latin word meaning "light-bearer" (from lux, lucis, "light", and ferre, "to bear, bring"), which is a fair description of a match. The name was applied to matches by Samuel Jones in the first half of the 1800's. They were smelly, sometimes volatile things, not like our modern safety matches. Perhaps this unpleasant, sulphuric odour strengthened the association with Lucifer, the fallen angel linked with the Devil. However, the name is used a lot in history to refer to objects of light, including the planet Venus, so it is possible that the diabolic connotation was unintentional.
2007-02-14 07:39:09 · answer #2 · answered by queenbee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
English
2007-02-14 08:01:52 · answer #3 · answered by Silvax 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Lucifer is Dutch for match
2007-02-14 07:41:41 · answer #4 · answered by calvinx1409 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I live in the Netherlands and any box of matches you see here say LUCIFERS on the front. That's what matches are called here.
2007-02-14 07:30:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Luciferous means light giving. That's where it comes from.
2007-02-14 07:30:19 · answer #6 · answered by Misha-non-penguin 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dutch. It also means "Satan", which I think is rather funny.
2007-02-14 07:37:23 · answer #7 · answered by Kilroy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋