Words

“The Drinkers Dictionary,” published by Franklin in the ‘Pennsylvania Gazette’ in January 1737, features terms like ‘nimptopsical’ and ‘cherubimical’ as synonyms for ‘drunk.’

Whatever you do, don’t mess up the meanings of ‘punter.’

You’ll be chuffed after you read this peng British slang list, with bare terms that will keep you from looking like a pillock.

Here are all the new jawns in the dictionary.

Non-Philadelphians can finally look up the meaning of ‘jawn’ in the dictionary.

Stick these terms in your cauldron and pass them around your coven.

“Who, me?” This goat, hearing about the word ‘scapegoat.’

History is filled with figures who were single-handedly—yet often undeservedly—held responsible for epic societal failures. But what do goats have to do with it?

We don’t know how these Victorian slang terms ever fell out of fashion, but we propose bringing them back, as soon as possible.

Technically this exact phrasing wasn't in play until the 20th century.

Many bad words come and go, but these six have withstood the tests of time. Here’s how they came to be.

These sentences are sure to make you scratch your head.

There are a dozen historical figures’ names hidden in the word search—the first three you spot are coming to your next dinner party.

First, you have to understand the difference between England and Britain (and the UK, while we’re at it).

TV has slowly eased restrictions on strong language.

Whether scripted or spontaneous, expletives have been making their way on to the air for decades.

(Left to right) Oscar Isaac, Camila Cabello, and Gael García Bernal.

Here’s how to avoid bungling 20 commonly mispronounced Spanish names.

If you frequently misspell these words, you’re not alone.

Don’t get embarrassed if you can’t spell ‘embarrass.’ It’s apparently—not ‘apparantly’—a pretty common error.

The way some words are spelled is downright bizarre.

Ever wonder why there’s a ‘k’ in ‘knead,’ or a ‘d’ in ‘Wednesday’? While there isn’t always a good reason for why some English words are spelled the way they are, there are reasons.

‘Less’ versus ‘fewer’ is pretty straightforward. ‘Less than’ vs. ‘fewer than’ is slightly less so. Here’s how to get it right every time.

If you've ever felt that English could use a couple more tenses to truly capture the nuances of the past, present, and future, this exploration of languages that have taken verb tenses to fascinating new heights is for you.

No, we’re not f***ing lying.

The idiom goes back centuries. And no, it's not 'nipping it in the butt.'

Sometimes, the regular words you use to describe how you’re feeling just won’t do.

There are plenty of obscure English words you can turn to when the current dictionary just isn't cutting it.

How to say “hello” (or something that roughly translates to a greeting) in five conlangs.

A conlang is a constructed language, where someone has intentionally created its grammar, vocabulary, and phonology. Here are five you can learn.

Turn left for endurance, right for enthusiasm.

You can’t spell ‘hearty’ without ‘heart,’ or ‘hardy’ without ‘hard.’

The world is heating up, and things are often on fire—literally. As we do what we can to squelch the flames, check out some old and obscure words people of the past used when they wanted to talk about all things fire.

How many of these colors did you know about?

A vast vocabulary of words have been invented, borrowed, and accumulated over the centuries to describe almost every color and shade imaginable.

‘For Pete’s sake’ originated around the early 20th century, but the Pete in question may have lived long before that.

Benjamin Franklin’s Long List of Synonyms for ’Drunk‘

30 British Slang Terms You Should Know

Jawns and Shower Oranges: See 30 of Dictionary.com’s Newly Added Terms

13 Weird Old Words for Witches and Warlocks

The Reason We Call People Blamed for Things “Scapegoats”

77 Delightful Victorian Slang Terms You Should Be Using

The Origins of 6 Classic Curse Words

7 Sentences That Sound Bizarre But Are Still Grammatical

Word Search: Find All 12 Historical Figures (And See What They’d Bring to Your Dinner Party)

British vs. English: What’s the Difference?

Bleep This: A Brief History of Profanity on Television

20 Spanish Names You’re Probably Mispronouncing

100 of the Most Commonly Misspelled Words in the English Language

11 Weirdly Spelled Words—And How They Got That Way

Fewer vs. Less: When to Use Each

Time Traveler’s Guide: Verb Tenses in 8 Languages From Around the World

No Sh*t: People Who Swear More May Also Be More Honest, Study Says

Why Do We Like to 'Nip It in the Bud'?

15 Obscure Words for Everyday Feelings and Emotions

5 Fascinating Conlangs You Can Learn

Hearty vs. Hardy: What’s the Difference?

15 Obscure Words That Are Pure Fire

39 Colors You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

For Pete’s Sake—Who Is Pete?