[comp.unix.questions] Etymology of "grep"

oster@lapis.berkeley.edu (David Phillip Oster) (01/08/87)

We've all heard the story that grep gets its name from the command in old
Unix "ed": g/r.e./p where r.e. stands for regular expression. Although
this may be true, it is hard to believe that it is the whole truth.

"Grep" is also named for "greps" the Yiddish word for "belch."

--- David Phillip Oster		-- "We live in a Global Village."
Arpa: oster@lapis.berkeley.edu  --
Uucp: ucbvax!ucblapis!oster     -- "You are Number Six."

bzs@bu-cs.BU.EDU (Barry Shein) (01/10/87)

>We've all heard the story that grep gets its name from the command in old
>Unix "ed": g/r.e./p where r.e. stands for regular expression. Although
>this may be true, it is hard to believe that it is the whole truth.
>
>"Grep" is also named for "greps" the Yiddish word for "belch."
>
>--- David Phillip Oster		-- "We live in a Global Village."

"Miss Grep" was the name of a character played by Carole Burnett in
a Twilight Zone episode (the one where Jesse White plays an angel.)
I don't remember much else, but ya never know...

	-Barry Shein, Boston University