WORDS

Chow Mein vs. Lo Mein: What’s the Difference?

Chow mein and lo mein are made from the same ingredients, but there is a difference between the two Chinese noodle dishes.

She's ready to captivate her classmates with a rousing debate on each vs. every.

Each vs. Every: What’s the Difference?

There’s a reason why “Every of my feet” sounds so wrong, and why “Almost each foot” is equally weird.

"May I please use can when asking permission to do something?"

Can vs. May: When to Use Each Term

Many a teacher has reinforced the grammar rule that ‘may’ is for asking permission—not ‘can.’ But there’s a little more to it than that.

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11 Old Words and Phrases for Depression

From black-dog to wiffle-woffles, here are some words and phrases that have been used to describe depression over the ages.

The Most Distinctive Business Jargon Used in Each State

From ‘make hay’ to ‘peel the onion,’ here are the phrases each state’s corporate community just can’t quit.

What’s the Scratch in Made From Scratch?

Whoever started 'from scratch’ didn’t actually do it in the kitchen—and ‘scratch’ has nothing to do with clawing ingredients together with your bare hands.

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56 Delightfully Unusual Words for Everyday Things

From 'asportation' to 'nicknackatory' to 'yex,' these old, delightfully unusual words are ones you'll want to use regularly.

Why Are Lengthy Bureaucratic Processes Known As Red Tape?

Bureaucratic red tape is a tale as old as time. Or, to be a little more precise, roughly 400 years old.

It would be hard to fit the world's longest place name onto this small sign.

The 10 Longest Place Names in the World

At 85 letters, New Zealand's Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatah is the world's longest place name.

Why Do We Say Something Is Brand-New or Brand-Spanking New?

What does branding or spanking have to do with whether something is factory-new or not? We investigate.

Kindergarten survived some early controversy to become part of the American education system.

Why Do We Call Kindergarten Kindergarten?

This very German word became embedded in the American vernacular—but not before German politicians tried to ban kindergarten entirely.

A 19th-century illustration of immigrants arriving at Ellis Island. Or are they emigrants?

Immigrate vs. Emigrate: What’s the Difference?

Understanding the difference between ‘immigrate’ and ‘emigrate’ requires a fun little dive into the world of Latin prefixes.

A cartoon depicting Irish rent boycotts from December 1880.

The Word Boycott Comes From a British Land Agent Shunned by His Town

When Charles Boycott tried to evict struggling Irish farmers during a famine, they ran him right out of Ireland.

Poop, Boob, and Other Terms Apple Won’t Engrave on Your New AirTags

Apple AirTags will help you keep track of your stuff, but they won’t help you convey how funny you find the word ‘boob.’

Notable southpaw Tommy John pitching for the New York Yankees in the 1980s.

Why Are Left-Handed People Called Southpaws?

Southpaws are most often talked about in baseball and boxing. But which sport (if either) coined the term?

Why Do We Say 'Close, But No Cigar'?

The origins of phrases aren’t always very clear, but this one is—and it all started with carnival barkers.

Being called a 'guest' of a retail business is not really grammatically correct.

The Reason Some Businesses Refer to Customers as Guests

Step into a Target or Walgreens and you might be labeled a 'guest.' The practice probably started for a very Goofy reason.

Are you from the Land of Queen Henrietta Maria or mountainous Montana?

This Map Shows the Meanings of Place Names in the U.S. and Canada

‘Idaho’ is often said to mean "gem of the mountains," but the guy who suggested it might’ve just made it up.

Your Herbal Tea Isn’t Actually Tea at All—Here’s Why

True tea comes from leaves of the 'Camellia sinensis' plant. All other beverages commonly labeled 'tea' are technically tisane.

D.C. judges have strong feelings about typefaces.

D.C. Court Wants to Erase Garamond Font From Filings

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has a vendetta against Garamond, which is purportedly too small to read and allows lawyers to skirt filing rules.

A promising young restaurateur, ready to be called a restauranteur for the rest of her career.

Why Is There No N in Restaurateur?

If you’ve been spelling ‘restaurateur’ with an ‘n’ for your entire life, don't feel bad. But here’s why you’re wrong.

This metaphor doesn't mean what you think it means.

Where Does the Term 'Pushing the Envelope' Come From?

Anyone exceeding established boundaries of business, art, or safety is said to be 'pushing the envelope.' Why?

Bridgerton Fans Can Customize Their Own Lady Whistledown's Society Papers on Etsy

'Bridgerton' fans can create their own scandalous gossip column with these customizable Lady Whistledown's Society Papers on Etsy.

Why Do We Say 'Cut to the Chase'?

“Cut to the chase” is a slightly friendlier way of telling someone to get to the point, but old Hollywood filmmakers meant it literally.

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