Sticks and stones

BOFFINS have ended up with egg on their massive foreheads after the Daily Star vowed to keep on using the tongue-in-cheek term for scientists.

Yesterday we revealed how cranky brainiacs at the Institute of Physics projected a "Bin the Boffin" message on your favourite newspaper's HQ.

Of course, if the peevish profs had done their research properly, they'd know the fun word was actually coined by genius British radar researchers in World War Two - to describe themselves!

Now JAMES MOORE rounds up other traditional slang for people and professions to treasure...

HACK: While brainboxes get their test tubes in a twist over being dubbed boffins, us journos are laid back about being nicknamed "hacks". The term comes from hack writer first used in the 18th Century originating in a type of horse called a hackney that was easy to ride and available for hire.