WORDS

Definition Detective Quiz #7

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

What’s the Origin of the Jack-O’-Lantern?

The first jack-o'-lanterns were made with turnips, not pumpkins.

‘B Dubs’: 10 Slang Terms for Popular Brand Names

Shoppers have been referring to Target as ‘tar-jay’ for over 60 years.

Can You Choose the Correct Version of these Commonly Misspelled Words?

Put your spelling skills to the test.

The crescent wrench has helped DIYers for decades.

Why Is It Called a “Crescent Wrench”?

A Swedish immigrant changed the face of wrenches forever.

The 10 Most Challenged Books of 2023

In honor of Banned Books Week, the ALA published its list of 2023’s most contentious titles.

The Surprising Origins of 5 Spooky Sayings

From ‘skeletons in the closet’ to ‘graveyard shift,’ here’s how five eerie idioms came to be.

Definition Detective Quiz #6

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

40 Popular Coffee Terms, Explained

Know your latte from your cappuccino before you embarrass yourself.

14 Old Slang Terms for Coffins

From ‘six-foot bungalow’ to ‘pine overcoat,’ there have been some creative euphemisms for coffins over the ages—and some terms that were surprisingly (and uncomfortably) direct.

What's in a name? A lot of pronunciation mistakes.

The World’s Most Mispronounced Names, Mapped

From Sean to Anne, these names confound speakers around the world.

Definition Detective Quiz #5

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

8 Words People Really Hate (And What to Say Instead)

Need another word for ‘moist’ (or some other gross word)? We’ve got you.

It’s kind of weird that ‘ghost’ is spelled with a ‘gh.’

Why are ‘Ghost,’ ‘Ghastly,’ and ‘Ghoul’ Spelled with ‘gh’?

Only a handful of English words start with ‘gh’—what gives?

You better knock, knock, knock ... on wood.

Why Do We Knock On Wood?

Discover the origins of the classic phrase 'knock on wood,' which could be tied to a Victorian-era children's game or have more direct ties to old pagan traditions.

Do you know all of the abbreviations on this list?

The 20 Most-Googled Text Abbreviations

See which text abbreviations have people turning to Google.

14 Commonly Confused Things

In this episode of The List Show, host and Mental Floss editor-in-chief Erin McCarthy breaks down some commonly confused pairs.

The Countries That Swear the Most, Mapped

It’s probably no #*$@ing surprise who came out on top—but some of the rankings might surprise you.

Definition Detective Quiz #4

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

The Not-So-Nice Origins of ‘Bookworm’

‘Bookworm,’ which now implies someone is well-read, once meant that you were a total loser.

These things are pretty weird when you think about them.

Positively Negative: 5 Surprising Ways We Say “No” Without Really Meaning It

From polite offers to emphatic exclamations, English speakers have cleverly twisted negative expressions to mean something rather different.

15 Different Ways to Call “Dibs” Across the United States

You know to say, “I’ve got dibs!” but what if someone else says, “I wackie that doughnut,” or “Let's go snacks on it”? You might lose out on some chocolatey goodness. Be prepared by bulking up your dibs vocabulary.

The Forgotten Sources of 12 Phrases

This episode of The List Show is all about why we say what we say—from the poem that gave us ‘albatross around your neck’ to the hands that gave us ‘hands down.’

Definition Detective Quiz #3

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

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