Words

’Tis the season to learn how to say “Merry Christmas” in many languages.

The phrase “rage bait” in a speech bubble

Defining terms highlighted by the Oxford English Dictionary and why they’re significant this year.

A speech bubble with the word “extenuating” in it

Think about it: have you ever heard someone say they had “extenuating errands”? These eight words are only used in a very specific context.

A speech bubble with the word “homely” in it

Think twice before responding if someone calls you one of these words.

Go with ‘goozlum’ instead of ‘gravy’ this Thanksgiving.

A smiley face balloon next to a speech bubble of the phrase “No worries!”

The history behind “no worries” and why the phrase became a favorite for millennials and Gen Z.

No, “gaudy” did not come from a famous architect with a similar-sounding name.

You might’ve heard it from your children or as Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year.

You wouldn’t think twice about these everyday habits and activities, but they weren’t always the norm.

Though widely shared on the internet and other places, these popular quotes weren’t actually spoken by who you might think they were.

A thought bubble of someone wondering what “fascism” means

Americans were interested in finding out definitions for words in political science, psychology, and science, among other topics.

The answer makes sense—once you get into some linguistic history.

This admittedly is probably not the No. 1 question on your mind—but we answer it anyways.

A woman on her phone in the streets of Paris

You know "LOL" and "FML," but what about other social media and text abbreviations? Here are the 10 that stump people the most.

No one did it like The Bard, so it’s no surprise that some myths about him and his writing have seeped into our culture over time. Let’s debunk some of the biggest ones.

The words these authors have come up with to create their worlds have transcended fiction.

The phrase has a surprisingly long, convoluted history.

It's time to level with you on why we refer to floors as narrative spaces.

Wednesday is viewed as the halfway point to the weekend.

The phrase may seem recent, but it’s been around for a surprisingly long time.

With no word for ‘please,’ how do you keep it civil when traveling in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Finland?

Jefferson’s tale of an encounter with a stranger sparked a saying that became pretty popular in the 19th century.

A little piglet named Billy Ray might have had something to do with it.

Start sprinkling bumfuzzle, taradiddle, and collywobbles into everyday conversation—but maybe let quomodocunquizing rest in obsolescent peace where it belongs.

The answer involves World War I soldiers and a cute bird.

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

10 Ways to Say “Merry Christmas” Around the World

From “Rage Bait” to “Aura Farming,” Explaining Oxford’s Word of the Year and Its Finalists

8 Words That Are Only Used in One Weirdly Specific Context

6 Old-Fashioned Compliments That Are Used as Insults Now

11 Tasty Regional Thanksgiving Food Words

How “No Worries” Became Everyone’s Go-To Phrase

Where Does the Term “Gaudy” Come From?

We’ll Tell You So You Don’t Have to Ask: Here’s What “6-7” Means

10 Everyday Habits With Totally Interesting Origins

12 Famous Quotes Everyone Misattributes

2025’s Most-Searched Definitions Include Words Like “Fascism” and “Democracy”

Why Is ‘No.’ Short for “Number”?

9 Misconceptions About Shakespeare

11 Everyday Words That Were Coined in Sci-Fi Stories

Why Do We Say We’re “In the Pink”?

Why Do We Call Building Floors “Stories”?

Why Is Wednesday Called “Hump Day”?

The Nordic Countries Where There’s No Word for ‘Please’

How Thomas Jefferson Invented A New Way Of Saying “Goodbye”

The Reason We Refer to Motorcycles as ‘Hogs’

11 Real Words That Sound Totally Fake

Why Are New Zealanders Called ‘Kiwis’?

Definition Detective Quiz #59: Guess the Meanings of These Tricky Words