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Words

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

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

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.

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?

What do the terms “busser” and “busing a table” have to do with public transportation? Nothing, it turns out.

If linguistics is any indicator, it would appear that everybody in the spirit realm speaks Scots English.

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

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

Americans have a tough time figuring out how to correctly pronounce these words, from ‘açai’ to ‘tzatziki’ and beyond.

Here are 10 fun historical alternatives to boring old ‘pregnant.’

Is your new pet’s name on this list?

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You might not second-guess these common phrases, but they come from surprising origins.

The origins of the phrase (indirectly) involve smelly cabbage, Donald Duck, and several Canadian journalists.

We might have co-living spaces to thank for this strange idiom.

Euphemisms allow us to discuss some grim or controversial topics employing a more palatable turn of phrase. These expressions were coined to disguise everything from capital punishments to diseases, death, slavery, and cannibalism.

Hush puppies might seem like a simple side dish, but they carry a pretty interesting history.

The origin of the multipurpose saw's catchy name, explained.

Pay attention next time you see this hand gesture on the road—it could save you from an accident (or a speeding ticket).

The popular baseball idiom for a rough estimate has been around for decades. But who coined it?

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