You almost certainly know the term “bucket list.”
Right?
A bucket list is a personal list of experiences, goals, or achievements someone hopes to accomplish before they die. The term comes from the phrase “kick the bucket,” meaning to die. So a bucket list is essentially a list of things to do before that happens.
But do you know who coined the term “bucket list” and how long it’s been around?
The term “bucket list” originated in 2007 — just 18 years ago — with the release of the film by the same name. The movie, which stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two terminally ill men who create a list of things they want to do, is also the origin of the term.
A movie — a minor box-office hit written by Justin Zackham — coined the term.
Doesn’t it feel like the term “bucket list” has been around forever?
Doesn’t it seem like the term “bucket list” is definitely older than you?
Unless you’re still in high school or grade school, it’s not. It’s practically brand new.
It’s a reminder of the power of a well-chosen word. Describe something well, assign a name to something previously unnamed, coin a term, or invent a new concept, and not only can that new collection of words travel the world, but they can sometimes seem so important or relevant or ubiquitous that they can feel like they’ve been around since Biblical times.
Jesus might’ve had a bucket list, but if he did, he didn’t use the term, since it’s about two millennia younger than he was.
Craxy. Right?
