WORDS

15 Funky 1970s Slang Terms

If you’re up to speed on the tubular ‘80s slang and the wicked vernacular of the ‘90s, check out some slang terms and phrases that made the ‘70s groovy.

25 Fancy Medical Terms for Mundane Problems

It might not be a big deal, but you can make it sound like one.

Yes, Wordle Has a Hard Mode—Here’s How It Works

You might be playing Wordle with hard-mode rules without even knowing it. Here’s how it differs from the regular version.

Some office buzzwords can be unbearable for employees.

'110 Percent': The 10 Most Hated Business Buzzwords and Jargon

If you’ve ever tried to give “110 percent” to a task, chances are you’ve worked in an office where people tend to use a lot of corporate jargon.

Why Does ‘Spick-and-Span’ Mean ‘Really Clean’?

‘Spick’ doesn’t mean ‘clean.’ And ‘span’ doesn’t mean ‘clean.’ So what’s going on here?

A Chicago-area family plays Scrabble, ca. 1952

15 Fascinating Facts About 'Scrabble'

Whether you’re a logophile or just enjoy casual wordplay, chances are you’re obsessed with Scrabble. Here’s what you should know about the game.

It's Chick-fil-A's pleasure to serve you.

Why Do Chick-fil-A Employees Say “My Pleasure” Instead of “You’re Welcome”?

If you say “my pleasure” before your Chick-fil-A cashier has a chance to utter it, you won’t score free food.

Hulton Archive / Stringer // Getty Images

11 Obscure Expressions of Surprise We Should Bring Back

If you’re easily startled or just need some alternatives to “By the hammer of Thor!” and “Damn!,” read on for some old-timey outbursts.

20 Strategic Opening Words to Use in Wordle

If your Wordle game is feeling stale, these math-backed opening words could give the momentum you need.

Mistrust vs. Distrust: What’s the Difference?

Even the most well-respected dictionaries consider ‘mistrust’ and ‘distrust’ interchangeable. But people do tend to use them a little differently.

40 Brilliant Words That Begin With the Letter B

Battologize your friends by repeating these over and over again.

The Mysterious Origins of the Phrase ‘The Whole Nine Yards’

Linguists and lexicographers have truly gone the whole nine yards to uncover the origin of ‘the whole nine yards.’

11 Gaelic Loanwords to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

It's said that everyone gets to be a bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. In that case, it's only fair that everyone has a few words of Gaelic origin ready.

Incorporate these 'A' words into your vocabulary.

39 Amazing Words That Begin With the Letter 'A'

Don't be agelastic or an ashcat—these words will help even a budding abecedarian advance their vocabulary.

The situation has clearly gone from bad to worse.

How to Use Worse vs. Worst Correctly in 6 Common Phrases

What's the 'worse' or 'worst' that could happen if you use the wrong form of this commonly used word? Here's what to know.

Having to yell "Fore!" probably bodes ill for your score.

Why Do Golfers Yell 'Fore!' When Teeing Off?

It all started with forecaddies … or the military. Either way, ‘fore’ is the most succinct way to say “You might be about to get hit by an errant golf ball.”

If you know, you know. And if you don't know, this list should help.

15 Gen Z Slang Terms You Should Lowkey Know

Zoomers have revolutionized the slang game on- and offline with colorful terms like ‘stan’ and ‘She ate.’ But some are older than you think.

That wallpaper is giving us the willies.

Why Do We Say Something Gives Us 'The Willies'?

To get the willies is to feel a sudden onset of nervousness or skittishness. But why 'willie'? It may have something to do with itchy underwear.

What Does Goodbye Actually Mean?

You’re not really wishing someone a good ‘bye.’ ‘Bye’ is just an abbreviation—and ‘good’ is sort of a mistake.

These phrases likely came from some dark places.

8 Common Phrases with Surprisingly Dark Origins

From poisoning to warfare, these are the dark origin stories behind eight common phrases and idioms.

12 Fun Word Games To Try Now That You’re Obsessed With Wordle

If you're obsessed with Wordle, the popular online anagram game, check out these 12 fun word games, including "Scrabble," "Quiddler," and "Bananagrams."

Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman in Gaslight (1944).

The Forgotten Hollywood History Behind the Term Gaslighting

Before psychologists gave it a formal definition, ‘gaslighting’ just meant "what happened to Ingrid Bergman in the movie ‘Gaslight.'’’

Social media has helped create a thriving slang landscape.

From GOAT to Ghost: Here Are America’s 30 Most Googled Slang Terms

Maybe you know ‘GOAT,’ ‘FOMO,’ and ‘stan.’ But thanks in part to TikTok, slang is a little more complex than that these days.

Wordle is the new hotness in portable time-wasting.

Why the World Has Gone Wild for Wordle, According to a Philosophy Professor

The simple word game is like 'Wheel of Fortune' meets a crossword puzzle. And according to a philosophy professor, there's a clear reason we're obsessed with it.

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