LANGUAGE

40 Wonderful W-Words To Widen Your Vocabulary

Whether you're writative or just trying to be a linguistic wheel-horse, these words are for you.

You might know someone who qualifies as a bananenbieger.

30 Hilarious German Insults You Should Start Using Immediately

One translates to "asparagus Tarzan." Another means "bag of whale blubber." In fact, some of these are so amusing you might not even mind being insulted.

These little witches look like they might be running a gum-game.

11 Delightful Old-Timey Words for Tricks

Tricks aren’t just for kids anymore—nor are trick words! Here are 11 old-timey words for pranks and capers, perfect for when you’re feeling curmudgeonly about Halloween revelers knocking on your door for treats.

You just know which one Goldilocks is going for.

Em Dash vs. En Dash vs. Hyphen: What’s the Difference?

Deciding when to use an em dash instead of some other punctuation mark is largely up to you—except in situations that call for an en dash or hyphen.

40 Vibrant V-Words To Revamp Your Vocabulary

A list to please even the most vinerous among us.

Try to fit all six of these terms in a single sentence.

From ‘Adorkable’ to ‘Yeet’: 30 Words Merriam-Webster Just Added to the Dictionary

What does ‘yeet’ mean, anyway? Merriam-Webster now has a formal answer.

These words will make you jump for joy, no matter what happy situation you're in.

32 Words for Positive Phenomena That Don’t Have an English Equivalent

Why doesn’t English have a word for when you sneak a taste of food when you think no one’s watching?

What Do ‘Cc’ and ‘Bcc’ Actually Stand For?

Though the meanings of ‘cc’ and ‘bcc’ haven’t changed over the years, the technology that uses them definitely has.

You say you have better ways to call B.S.? Bottlewash!

19 Old-Timey Ways to Call B.S.

Chances are you’ve been using the B.S. word a lot lately, and might be looking to change things up. Look no further than this list of 19 delightful old-timey terms.

40 Unusual U-Words To Upgrade Your Vocabulary

Learn these, lest you become a syntactic ultracrepidarian.

Where Did the Phrase 'Look Ma, No Hands!' Originate?

The boast has become a signal that someone is about to do something very stupid. But who said it first?

5 Quick Facts About the Hashtag

It's really called an octothorpe.

40 Tremendous T-Words To Titivate Your Vocabulary

Some of these words may not be used until Tib's Eve, but that shouldn't stop you from trying, lest you look like a timdoodle.

Movie-goers prepare to be entertained in 1935.

Why Do We Refer to Movies as “The Silver Screen”?

The origin of the phrase ‘silver screen’ is less about movies and more about how people watched them in the good old days.

Why Do We Say People Pass ‘With Flying Colors’?

Like so many other phrases, the meaning of ‘pass with flying colors’ has nautical roots.

40 Super S-Words To Supplement Your Vocabulary

'Scrouge' means to crowd someone. Worth remembering in the COVID-19 era.

Compliment vs. Complement: What’s the Difference?

If you’re talking about a free hotel breakfast, the word you want is ‘complimentary.’

Milly Alcock and Paddy Considine in HBO's 'House of the Dragon.'

10 Fun Facts About the Valyrian Language of 'Game of Thrones' and 'House of the Dragon'

The upcoming Targaryen-focused prequel 'House of the Dragon' promises to have much more Valyrian dialogue than 'Game of Thrones' did. Here are eight fun facts about the language for you to ponder before 'House of the Dragon' debuts on August 21.

Lake City, Florida, almost went by another name entirely.

8 U.S. City Names That Might Have Been

Let's be glad the name "Pig's Eye, Minnesota" didn't stick.

Don't say 'sneak peak' when mean 'sneak peek'!

38 Word Usage Mistakes Even Smart People Make

Don't let these trip you up.

Been burning the candle at both ends? These terms can help you describe it better.

13 Old and Unusual Ways to Say You’re Burned Out

The term ’burned out’ dates back to the early 19th century—and people have had other names for it for much longer than that.

The Origin—and Evolution—of the Phrase 'Trip the Light Fantastic'

While it has always referred to nimble, fleet-footed dancing, the imagery associated with the phrase "tripping the light fantastic" is a matter of profound disagreement.

40 Rip-Roaring R-Words To Refresh Your Vocabulary

Our humble letter R has one of the lengthiest and most complicated histories of all the letters of the alphabet.

Nashville's Lower Broadway is known as the Honky-tonk Highway.

15 Nashville Slang Terms You Should Know

From hot chicken to honky-tonk and beyond, here are some terms that will give you a leg up when you visit Nashville.

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