15 Awesome Names For Things You Never Knew Had Names

5. Zarf

Though it sounds like something off of Star Trek, this bizarre-sounding word is perhaps even more strange for how commonplace they are: a zarf refers to the cardboard holder of your handle-less disposable coffee cups. Most people refer to these as sleeves, but that€™s not half as cool as this Arabic term from €“ wait for it €“ the thirteenth century. Yes, they had coffee back then, and in Turkey, it was an even more complex and ritualized process than the Starbucks order of the girl in front of you. Back then, they were made of silver, gold, or brass and were often heavily ornamented with gems or engravings, and were used €“ as they are now €“ to protect the fingers of the drinker. Some were made of wood and were favoured for wood€™s natural scent, and still others were meticulously made from tortoiseshell, horn or ivory. Though it seems excessive compared to our own paperboard sleeves, what with Starbucks€™ astronomical prices, one would think they could throw in a gem-set tortoiseshell zarf with our PSLs€