WORDS

Why Do We Call a Dollar a “Buck”?

Everyone knows a buck means a dollar. But not everyone knows why.

Why Do Cowboys Say “Yee-Haw”?

Even though it’s a classic cowboy trope, you have to wonder: Did cowboys actually say that popular phrase?

Definition Detective Quiz #33

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

11 Suffixes That Gave Us New (And Often Terrible) Words

Here are some word endings that have become productive to varying degrees.

The Peppy ’80s Song “Vamos a la Playa” Was Actually About Nuclear War

The lyric “Vamos a la playa, todos con sombrero / El viento radiactivo, despeina los cabellos” translates to “Let’s go to the beach, everyone in a sombrero / The radioactive wind, messes up the hair.”

15 Memorable Slang Terms From the Vietnam War

Military slang grew by leaps and bounds during the Vietnam War. Here are some terms worth knowing.

Passengers aren’t always referred to as passengers.

Why Do We Refer to Airplane and Ship Passengers as ‘Souls’?

Hearing the phrase ‘souls on board’ usually portends bad news. Why do we use it?

Real estate terminology can get confusing.

50 of the Most Common Real Estate Terms, Explained

Real estate has a language all its own. We’ve simplified it for you.

Definition Detective Quiz #32

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

The “Tortoise and the Hare“ is a popular fable.

Fable vs. Folktale vs. Myth: What’s the Difference?

These narrative forms are similar, but not exactly the same.

21 Alternative Words for ‘Fool’ (And Their Origins)

Show your friends you’re no oaf this April 1 with these 21 foolishly fun synonyms.

10 Viral Vietnamese Slang Terms

The Vietnamese word ‘cột sống’ technically means “spine”—but to the country’s Gen Zers, it’s slang for something else entirely.

Definition Detective Quiz #31

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

Who doesn’t love a rousing round of Crambo?

5 Old-Timey Word Games You Can Play Today

Tired of Wordle? Give these word games a try.

How Do Cars Get Their Names?

Naming a car is like naming a baby, only with a few hundred million dollars at stake.

The far-fetched plots were designed to keep viewers wanting more.

Why Is It Called a “Soap Opera”?

How did daytime dramas like “Guiding Light” and “General Hospital” become known as “soap operas”? It's all thanks to commercials.

16 Words that Describe Themselves

Word is a word. Noun is a noun. Autological words are a self-centered, self-referential bunch.

More people use American Sign Language than you may think.

This Smart Ring Translates Sign Language in Real Time

Cornell’s SpellRing could change the ASL translation game.

Inside ‘Inside Baseball’: How America’s Pastime Invented a Handy Metaphor

In the 19th century, 'inside baseball' only had one meaning—here's how it came to be.

Definition Detective Quiz #30

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

You might be familiar with a few of these.

From Y’all To Youse: 8 English Ways to Make ‘You’ Plural

Lots of languages have distinct plural forms for ‘you.’ Wouldn’t it be useful if English had one too? Spoiler alert: It does. Several, in fact.

St. Patty’s Day vs. St. Paddy’s Day: Which Is Correct?

You can always avoid the issue by spelling out “St. Patrick’s Day,” but here’s how to properly abbreviate it.

6 Common Words You Might Not Know Are Irish

There is a whole slew of everyday words in English that have origins in Irish and Gaelic.

Everybody gets to be Irish after they smooch this stone.

Where Does the Phrase ‘Gift of Gab’ Come From?

This St. Patrick’s Day, discover the origins of this old Irish idiom and how it all ties back to the Blarney Stone in Ireland.