Sometimes I really geek out and actually spend a good half an hour reading a dictionary — I know it sounds weird but I get really into the different words and how they can be used. I also enjoy browsing through an etymological dictionary every now and then because you’ll never know what you’ll find. An etymological dictionary tells you about the origins of a word — not its definition. Here’s the origins of the word “cab.”
Cab is a short form of cabriolet which is a light carriage. The word was extended to hansom carriages (think of the large black carriage drawn by two horses in Victorian England). Hansoms were the forerunners to our modern taxis and the cab moniker was applied to both the horse-drawn and horseless variety.
For more etymological fun (and the source of the above info on cab), check out this online dictionary: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php
The Word Nerd 